Recently, I saw a refrigerator magnet that says “Don’t Count the Days, Make the Days Count.” I think it is really apropos. When I saw the magnet, I bought it because all too often, I am just counting the days – how long I have to finish a deadline, the number of days until I leave for another conference, the number of shopping days until Christmas, the days until my next vacation, etc. The problem is I often miss the day and they roll into a mass of lost days.
Although I don’t like to admit it – I am a worrier. I fret about what I have to do – I ALWAYS seem to have too much to do. Then I am anxious about what I should be doing. If that’s not enough, I stew about tomorrow and often flog myself for what I didn’t do yesterday. Then, at the end of the day, I agonize about what I didn’t do. Meanwhile, I fail to do – I didn’t make the day count. What a gross waste of time and energy!
Like most people, I contemplate whether or not to make New Year Resolutions. This year I definitely decided not to make any declarations and just do. Then, the light bulb went off. I thought – that is my 2014 resolution, “Make the Day Count.”
Next, I went a step farther – I started my resolution immediately – why wait for the New Year? After all, when that ball drops in Times Square, it really isn’t going to launch my plan of action. I have to do that so it’s time to get on with it.
Now each morning, when I begin my old habit of worrying about how I will accomplish my “to-do-list,” I just start DOING even if it is not on my list. It doesn’t have to be life altering – little things add up to all the things we have to accomplish in our day. Sometimes I don’t make a list until later. I just choose something that I need or want to get done and just do it. If during the day, I start a backwards slide I stop and remind myself – make the day count. Then, I just pick another chore to do, and then another, and guess what? At the end of the day, I have the greatest feeling of satisfaction – I did make the day count!
Now I am even happier about facing each day of the New Year because my resolution is already in progress with success and I feel confident that when I end 2014, it will be with less worry and hopefully, more inner peace. I hope you have experience the same no matter what your resolution.
Jean Storms, MPM® is the founder/author of LandlordSource and has been a NARPM® member since January 1993.
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