Author: Rebecca Yauger

Becky is a writer and blogger. She's a three time contributor to various Chicken Soup for the Soul books and writes about real friendship and relationships, and all the ties that bond us. She's the former Web Manager and Vice-President for ACFW (acfw.com). Becky is a proud wife, mother, grandmother and 3-time cancer survivor.

Easy to Fall, Harder to Get Up

So far, the posts on this blog this year have been about resolutions, starting again, frustration, — all the things associated with a new year. Last week, I talked about being a pinball wizard, or more accurately, being the ball that’s bounced around in a pinball machine.

Well, as life would have it, I just got bounced!

I’ve been dealing with an ankle injury since last summer – a combination of tendinitis and a severe ankle sprain. I ended up in a boot, on a knee scooter, then graduated to an ankle brace and strengthening exercises.

My Mom and I laugh at our matching hot pink walking accessories!

Usually, I’m a beast about physical therapy (a compound femur fracture from a motorcycle accident, and a double mastectomy teach you how wonderful the results of physical therapy are!). But this time, I wasn’t as consistent. When I did my strengthening exercises, it was good and I was getting stronger, but consistency is key.

You can probably see where this is going.

The other day I was walking into church at a pretty good clip, and something popped in my ankle. “Ow!” I don’t know what it was, but it sure didn’t feel good. Leaving church, I was a little hobbled walking across the parking lot. Although I tried to ignore the reality, the truth was, I had re-injured my ankle.

I had a setback because I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. Now, there’s no way to know that if I had done all my strengthening exercises, I wouldn’t have re-injured my foot. However, the chances are good that at least the pain and tenderness might have been less.

It’s not easy to do what we’re supposed to do, even if it’s good for us. It’s easier to be lazy, or eat junk food, or blow off my daily devotion. But eventually, things will come back to bite you, and you’ll have to begin again, further away from your goal than you would’ve been had you been disciplined all along.

So, what’s the big lesson?  I say it’s don’t get discouraged when you have a setback. All through scripture, God says not to be afraid or discouraged. We can be inspired by what David tells his son, Solomon, in 1 Chronicles 28:20 (NIV): “Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord God, my God is with you.” David’s instructions to his son are the instructions we might hear from any parent advising their child, and they’re good words for navigating life.

I have faith that things work for good. In fact, this ankle issue might be just the push I need to get back to regular exercise. In my experience, I feel better when I exercise, and when I have my daily devotions, and when I’m doing what I need to do. The discouragement begins when I stop.

Today, I start again to fight off the pinball effect of being bounced around. We’re reminded in Galatians 6:9 (NIV): “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

How about you? Has there been a time when you fell and had to get up again? Was it motivating or did it make you want to quit?

Let me hear from you.

Are you a Pinball Wizard?

@RebeccaYauger

I don’t know if this is true for you, but it seems in the past week or so, I feel like a ball in a pinball machine, just being bounced around from side to side, and up and down.

Like most of us, I started the new year with goals, dreams, and aspirations of what I want to accomplish. It’s going okay — not great, as evidenced from my blog last week about my frustration.

This week, I started again with a fresh attitude. And almost immediately there were numerous things that cried out for my attention and had me floundering. Like I mentioned last time, I felt like I had too many tabs open on my computer, or more accurately, too many tabs open in my brain! I was quickly pulled in so many different directions that I wasn’t doing any of things that I needed to do.

I was like a pinball in the machine, rebounding off the obstacles around me. I’d rather be a pinball wizard. In the Pete Townshend song, the pinball wizard is the one who mastered the game. All I want to do is master my to-do list.

This leads me to a question. Why do we always feel like we have to do everything at once? Most of us know that when we get scattered, nothing gets done well, or done correctly, therefore we’re not accomplishing anything and we’re making more mistakes.

How do we rectify this?

It should be simple:

*Do one thing at a time
*Slow down to do that one thing very well
*Move on to the next thing – and do that one very well.

But time can work against me. Until I tackle everything I want to right now, I may have to spend extra hours in the evening or get up earlier in the morning to get a jump start on things. It will be  worth it to find that quiet time where I can concentrate before the rest of the day intrudes.

This is not a new concept, but it is one that bears remembering. It’s okay to re-group and begin again. (I wrote about something similar for my writer’s group, if you’re interested).

So, in order to start again, here are some suggestions:

  1. PRAY OVER YOUR DAY FIRST! Remember the words of James 1:5 (NIV) “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” Am I going to be instantly smarter by asking for wisdom? No. But in making time for prayer every day, I hope to stay within God’s will and on the path He has for me.
  2. Make a List. If you don’t have a to-do list, then make one. Whether it’s on your phone, computer, or handwritten, it helps to have a list to stay organized. Find a system that works for you.
  3. Do one thing at a time. Maybe attempt the biggest job first, so the heaviest weight is off of your shoulders.
  4. Get up earlier (or stay up later) and do some things in peace and quiet before the rest of the house wakes up, or while the rest of the house is asleep.

These are all fairly simple to do for those times when we’re being bounced around. Let’s try to be the pinball wizard, instead of the pin ball itself.

Hang in there, friends, and we’ll get through this.

 

How to Deal with a Frustrating Day

Today is a very frustrating day. My mind is scattered in so many different directions with things I need to do that I’m not doing any of them well. I know I just need to stop, take a breath, and take things one item at a time, but it all seems overwhelming at the moment.

Have you had days like these? I know how to break things down, make a to-do list, and knock that list down. There’s great satisfaction in crossing things off your list. But today, that’s not working. Everything feels like it’s going to take too long to do and I keep thinking about other things have just as much priority and shouldn’t wait. It’s like I have too many tabs open on my computer and keep skipping back and forth between them, but not finishing anything so I can close tabs, instead of opening yet another one. Too many tabs are open in my brain!

I’m a little angry at myself because I’ve been trying to complete a blog post for this site, and it’s just not coming together. I even missed my own self-imposed deadline to have it done. This only adds to my frustration.

So, I thought I’d just write out my annoyance with myself. Sometimes that helps me deal with things. And maybe I’ll settle down and finally tackle that to do list.

Now, it looks like this stream-of-consciousness writing will become today’s blog post. It’s real and it’s honest. I know this will pass, but it would be nice to know I’m not alone when I have days like these.

Let me know your thoughts. Are you frustrated right now? Or is your to-do list working for you? Let’s build each other up and turn a negative day like today into a positive one. Thanks for “listening.”

Getting Real about the Laundry

Let’s get real about laundry.

Get real about laundry? What is she talking about?

Okay, I guess I’m talking about completion. My husband calls himself a “compulsive finisher.” He rarely quits a project before it’s complete. Sometimes he works odd hours to make sure something isn’t lingering or incomplete. That makes me a very blessed wife, as he usually takes care of repairs around the house or anything that needs to be done.

As for me, well, I wish I could say I also was a compulsive finisher. I’m a great starter, for sure. I’m one of those who has project after project started, especially craft projects. But I also have four or five novels I’ve started among other things.

I’m also really good at starting laundry. I don’t mind sorting laundry, starting it, even making sure it’s in the dryer. But folding clothes…well…that’s another story. Clothes can stay in the dryer for days before I remember to put them away. Sometimes, I’m doing the next round of laundry days later before I realize there’s another load in the dryer. Sigh… I really hate that, too.

When I do put the clothes away (or unload the dishwasher or FINALLY dust my bookshelves), it’s great. I feel like I truly accomplished something. So, why can’t I do it consistently? It’s a great sense of completion, so why only do it once in a while?

I’m not sure I have the answer. There are times when I really wish I was more of a type-A person, going full speed ahead. But the reality is, I’m not.

Laundry is only one of the areas where I all feel like I fail or I’m not as strong. I think we all feel that way. Let me tell you – you’re not alone. While I envy those lovely type-A people or compulsive finishers, I know I will never quite be that way. I can improve, for sure. But I shouldn’t beat myself up over the fact that I’m wired differently.

What about you? Is there an area where you feel like you fall short? Do you beat yourself up over it? What do you do to improve?

It’s a new year, so it’s a good time to try to do things a little better.

I’d love to hear from you. Meanwhile, I guess I better go and get the clothes out of the dryer. They’ve only been there for three days now. 😊