Three Weeks and A Day

Bloggers, Blogging, Blogging, Writing, Writers, Blogs, New Year, Uncategorized 4 Minutes

The plan was to burst into 2019 fist pumping, screaming “Rah – Rah!” Ready and raring to go, to take on any and all challenges, fix my less than stellar habits and to toss my absolute worst habit, procrastination, out the window. The plan was to make a list of everything I wanted to achieve in 2019; followed by another much longer list outlining all the necessary steps that I needed to take in order to achieve those goals. By now I should have been well on my way to cultivating the good habits needed to kickstart my ambitions, but alas that is not quite the case.

Instead, it has been 3 weeks and a day into the new year and this is my first time blogging, not because I didn’t want to or I couldn’t; but because I am overwhelmed. You know the feeling; the one where you look at your daily To Do List, cringe a bit at the length of it, yet promise yourself, that despite the length you’ll get everything done before you roll into bed at the end of the day.

Well, it has been three weeks and a day into 2019 and I have not been able to complete any of my daily To Do Lists; instead, I keep adding to the list as opposed to completing the tasks already outlined. *Sigh*

The laundry gets done, but then it takes days to get it folded and put away. Or I’ll start working on a case and while focusing on one element of the case, something else, I hadn’t previously thought of, will pop into my head and I’ll spend hours exploring another approach to handling the matter instead of sticking to my original plan of attack because God forbid I could get an idea and not follow it to see where it leads.

I complained to my husband this past weekend that I have not blogged since the year started and his immediate response was, “Why not? You love to blog. Why aren’t you doing it?” I shrugged. Then he smartly added, “Well, you’ve been doing so much. You really haven’t slowed down for a minute.” That’s when it dawned on me that I should focus and what I have done instead of beating myself up for the things I haven’t.

The Christmas decorations had all been taken down and placed back into its storage area well before the first week of the year was completed. As small a task as this may seem you have no idea how proud I am of actually completing it in a timely manner. In past years this daunting task usually takes weeks into the year to get done. Is there anyone else out there like that? I once met a guy, who told me he didn’t take down his fully decorated Christmas tree until June, and the only reason he did was to make room for a new piece of furniture he had purchased. No judgment here, because I am a hell of a procrastinator myself.

I am also proud of the fact that I have been sticking to and committing to my year of yes. At the end of last year, I proclaimed 2019 to be my year of yes, a year in which instead of doubt and too much contemplation and general over thinking I would just say yes to “sane” proposals in an effort to think and act outside of my comfort zone.

So far my year of yes has me adopting a new, healthier lifestyle, going to the Cinema to watch a foreign film entirely in subtitles (which turned out to be one of the most riveting films I have ever seen), and even have me agreeing to go snow tubing, which for a 45-year-old Jamaican female is a big deal.

My year of yes also has me agreeing to invitations to social activities that I would normally have zero interest in, like when my 35-year-old niece, who is all about manifestations and positive thinking, invited me to her Vision Board Making Party. My initial inkling was to flat-out decline the invitation but I reminded myself that it was my year of yes so I gracefully accepted, went and I had a blast. I spent the better part of the first Saturday of 2019 with a bunch of vibrant, proactive, confident ladies, who are all about setting intentions for their lives. It was such an uplifting, exhilarating experience.

It’s so easy for us to focus on what we are not doing, or what we should be doing instead of what we have done. Self-doubt coupled with the notion of “not doing enough” has completely taken over today’s society.  We are always striving for bigger and greater things, we always want to do more or be more, I know I am guilty of that, and if we dare fall short of our aspirations, we beat ourselves up, another thing I am guilty of.

Well, this year,  I have decided to be nicer to myself. No more drowning myself in guilt for not completing the daily To Do Lists. I will be content with whatever it is that I get done and if for some reason I get absolutely nothing done well tomorrow ushers in another day filled with more opportunities, where I can attempt to make strides or baby steps towards my goals.

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Published by Racquel

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82 thoughts on “Three Weeks and A Day”

  1. Pingback: Yes!!! Why Not??! – Racquel Writes!
  2. Pingback: Yes! Why Not?! – Racquel Writes!

  3. YESSS!! Hi lovely! In bed, sipping tea and catching up on your blogs – of course, this one in particular, I love! ;-). My eyes watered reading the one about Greg. To be loved, adored and emotionally supported by your man – wow. We are lucky women. And career day – I agree with you. I think it’s important for these young men to see that “hot mom” is also hella smart and savvy as well!

    I love your writing style!

    💃🏼❤️😊

    Sent from my iPad to you! 🏄

    >

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    1. Awwwwww Suzy, you have no doubt made my week with your thoughtful, loving comment. Thank you for supporting me, thank you for encouraging me, thank you for always making the time to read my words, thank you for the commentary and most of all thank you for the love. 💕💕

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  5. Pingback: Attention Getter | Daily Inkling – Normal Happenings

  7. I have never been able to make “to do” lists. I can barely make a grocery list. Too much pressure. I tried when I was younger. I wound up with stacks of lists, collecting dust.

    All that chipped away at my already established inferiority complex. Now, I just “wing” everything. It either works or it doesn’t.

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  11. Pingback: Getting To Know You.. – Bitchin’ in the Kitchen

  14. I was wondering what had happened to you, Racquel. Seeing as you (well, we actually) were excited about the New Year, I had thought and hoped that excitement would inspire you to write as often as every day… But we are not robots. 😂 We break down sometimes.

    Try not to take on more than you can handle this year. Gosh, it’s so nice to have you back.
    You ARE back now, though, right? 😏

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      2. Thanks for checking them out. Every writer likes to be read. If there is anything that appeals to you please feel free to “like” or “comment.” I always appreciate the engagement.

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  20. I really enjoyed your talk with 007 it was humorous and enjoyable and I listened to the whole entire talk. Rakkelle you both were very comfortable as you got into the subjects you covered. Way to go you made me smile and laugh as well !!

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  21. Love this post, Rakkelle. My guess is that you didn’t blast into 2019 as planned because you were still tired from 2018. I’m glad you decided not to be so hard on yourself.
    You did a vision board! Cool. I need to do one of those and actually pay attention to it. LOL.

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    1. I think about you all the time and that chronic, miserable pain you have to endure. I’m still hoping for a miracle for you.

      I haven’t gone snow tubing yet. I go this Sunday. Wish me luck.

      It feels good to have been missed. Thanks Deb!

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  23. Love that you are saying yes and actually end up having fun! Make those To Do lists a little shorter and maybe you’ll get them done. But even if you don’t , you’re still awesome. You’re going through some changes that are going to change how you live and even what you care about . Ain’t it great being female ? Eye roll, lol ! High five! ❤

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  24. I’m so happy I’m not the only one going through this. Although I took down my Christmas decor the very first week, I’m lagging behind everything else, I do mean everything! I started a “to do” list on my daily planner I carry in my purse and it’s helped me stay on track but these last two weeks have been……blah. Glad to have you back girl, your an inspiration! 😎😉

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    1. Hey Huntress, we are gal pals in this procrastination bit. I carry around a planner too (well, it’s not really a planner but a notebook) with my lists, ideas etc. It keeps aware of the things I might inadvertently forget. It’s a hell of a memory booster too.

      Happy to be back. Hope to stay on track with weekly blog posts going forward.

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  26. So happy to read another one of your great posts! Been looking forward to it. Yes life is crazy at times! Every day is a new beginning. It’s also important that writing doesn’t end up another chore I think? We do the best we can!!! 🙏🏻😌

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    1. Emma, you’re so right. We certainly don’t want our favorite thing to become just another “chore” and that’s the reason I didn’t force myself to write. I wanted to do not because I must but because I’m in the mood.

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  27. Welcome back😁😁, Sis! Glad you have tread into the new waters of “yes”.(It’s amazing how hard it can be to say yes to something) and congratulations on putting up those Christmas decorations. Lord knows that’s a feat in itself for anybody to do😂😂!

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    1. 😂😂😂 Those darn decorations. Some of my neighbors still have theirs up. Some of them even still turn them on. More power to them…I’m just glad mine are back in their storage unit. 😂

      Saying “yes” can be hard sometimes I’m tempted to slip back into my old ways. 😉

      Good to be back, Sis! Thanks for the love. ❤

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  33. You were the one Racquel. You were the very first one that took me up on my offer and it has just encouraged more and more to follow your footsteps. Thank you Racquel, thank you for saying yes. I do miss you, but I can only imagine how busy things must be with the new laws that changed on 1 Jan.

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  34. I too am guilty at beating myself up because the day’s To Do list hasn’t been completed, but as you rightly said Racqs, let’s celebrate what we do get done instead! Let’s stop being so hard on ourselves…what doesn’t get done today…get’s added to tomorrow’s list. A year of yes, how awesome is that!

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  35. Good on you! (I did miss reading your blog though…) You’ve been busy putting new, good habits in place too – don’t forget those!

    I am really interested to see your inspo board! I can see bits of it in the photo and I’m intrigued!

    I’m also VERY excited to read about more of your year of yes experiences – I’m so proud of you!!

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