I’m Doing It

It’s that time of year again. I’m getting myself organized and trying to check things off my ‘to do’ list that have been mounting the anxiety attacks as they sat unattended. First, make a list.

It may sound silly, but actually making the list has been more than I can bear. So I decided to buy a happy little notebook just for my ‘to do’ list. So far it’s keeping me motivated. The desire to check items off is some powerful stuff.

I also got a new wall calendar for the family. It will take us through the rest of this year and into the next. This soothes the anxiety beast because I can now write down all our future appointments that are already diving deep into next year (I have dentist appointments in August of 2023 booked).

I sat down with the new calendar, the old calendar, the school district calendar, and my pocket planner and began piling on our schedules, appointments, birthdays, and special days. This allowed me to list days I needed off for the kids and when to schedule my mental health breaks. I have learned to regularly schedule a few extra days off around when the kids don’t have school, with at least two longer vacations each year. I’ve scheduled all my time off through June. Done and done.

Then I sat with my new wall calendar, my old pocket planner, and my new pocket planner and color-coded my schedule into the new one. All this compulsive organizing is like a lullaby to the anxious creature lurking inside my chest. With each task I complete I can feel myself gain power and clarity. I’m going to ride this wave as long as I can.

I’ve finished a few other tasks on my growing list. I’ve even added a few just to check them off. As I sate the beast, I feel the calm wash over me. A few personal projects await my attention tonight leading to the thrill of more check marks before bed. This may carry me through even more tasks tomorrow! On that note, I’ll check this one off the list.