Remembering A Commitment

I made a commitment to myself some time ago, and I was recently reminded of that personal promise.

As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, I hosted a mini-family reunion at my home during the solar eclipse. (We were lucky enough to live in the center of the path of totality and, by the way, it was awesome!)

Because everyone was traveling some distance, I had planned and prepared the meals for the entire weekend. Everyone helped out, but I still felt the responsibility of making sure everything ran smoothly.

During one of the meals, the listed serving size for the main dish turned out to be way off and I could see we might run out. I quickly pulled out some leftovers that would be enough to make up the difference.

As is my tendency, I cranked the heat up high and then promptly forgot about the food on the stove. To state the obvious, I burned the food. It was still edible, though obviously scorched. I was irritated and frustrated with myself and getting myself worked up about my mistake, when my brother kindly told me to stop worrying and said, “In the words of Julia Childs, “Don’t apologize for providing food.” In his own words, he added, “Stop bringing attention to it. Most people won’t notice.”

He was right. There was still plenty of other food. No one was going hungry and my impatience with myself was only going to make others uncomfortable. And of course, it all turned out just fine.

As I was still feeling bad about the incident later that day, I thought about what he had said and asked myself, Do I really want to keep adding energy to feeling bad about the one small portion of one meal that wasn’t perfect and let that overshadow the 3 days of meals that were great?!

Why would I do that? And yet, how many of us do that to ourselves on a continual basis?

How often have I focused on the one thing that went wrong instead of all the wonderful things that went right?

Think of events you’ve been part of, or planned or even in just your day to day living. What do you tend to focus on – the many, wonderful things that went right (maybe so right that you didn’t even notice them) or that one thing that you wish was different? And are you really going to let that one thing over shadow and diminish the positive of everything that was right?!

I had made the decision some time ago to focus on the good in every situation! Yes, every situation. That doesn’t mean burying my head in the sand. I’m aware of what’s happening and what needs to happen, but rather than dwelling on or obsessing over the one thing that didn’t go right, I have committed to focusing on all that is going right. And, I’ll tell you – because of that decision, there are many more things going right in my life now than ever before!

This incident was a great reminder and opportunity to re-commit to that code I had adopted – to focus on all the good (because there is always good) and no longer let one incident, minor or major, overshadow all the good.

What about you? Will you make that commitment to yourself today? To focus and appreciate all that is going right in this moment, this day,  this, your life?

I’d love to hear your experiences, challenges and thoughts regarding this. Comment below and let’s inspire each other.

Love,