Accomplishments…

This morning I was taking some time to think about the summer… which is almost over.  Thinking back to the beginning, I remembered the long list of things I hoped to accomplish during my time off.  One of those was blogging… and we can see how that turned out!  It has been exactly two months since my last post.  That makes me sad.  After contemplating my summer, I was left with a feeling that I did not accomplish anything I set out to.  I had hoped to paint the bedroom and bathroom, organize my bedroom closet and the one under the stairs, blog every day, and redo the kids bathroom upstairs.  Let’s see now – ummm, none of those happened!  On paper it looks as if I accomplished very little this summer.  

As I went to get ready for my day and step away from my dreaded “I Did Not Do Any of These Things” list, I had a few questions for myself.  What is the definition of accomplishment?  What do we measure our accomplishments against?  Is there a particular type of task or size of task that, when finished, is considered an accomplishment?  Can accomplishments be something small?  In my mind, I made the determination that an accomplishment must be something big and noticeable to others.  

At that point I began to think about the things that I did do… or shall I say “accomplish” this summer.  I have read 5 books!  Considering that I love books, but am horrible about finishing them, this is an accomplishment!  I completed a 6-week bible study with a small group of friends – finishing every lesson and going every week!  This is an accomplishment!  Since the middle of July, I have gone to the gym and worked with a trainer 2-3 times a week!  If you know me and my love/hate relationship with exercise, this is a HUGE accomplishment!  None of these things are visible to others, but they are things that I set out to do and low and behold, accomplished.  There are others, but I think you get my point.  

I have fresh eyes to look at the things I do in my daily life and see them as accomplishments – even if they are small and unnoticeable to others.  I’ve decided today that the little things are often greater than the big ones.  When I choose to eat cucumbers as a snack over crackers… accomplishment!  When I finally get the laundry in the machine and turn it on after ignoring it for several days… accomplishment!  When I choose to keep my mouth shut during a moment with the kids instead of get on my soap box about an alleged wrong-doing… accomplishment!  These little things add up and seem almost more meaningful and important than that one big thing.  Even though painting my bedroom and bathroom would be really wonderful and change things up for me a bit…they are not as important as the little things that will help me lead a healthier, stronger and more meaningful life.  

So, all this to say, if you think you have not done all that you’ve hoped to do, look a little deeper and see what you DID do.  I can’t continue to live in the “shoulda – woulda – coulda” world.  I’m going to see my glass as half full, not half empty.