Sometimes... Opposite Action... is saying, "I can't.", "I don't understand.", "No thank you.", etc.
Maybe I am the only one who seems conflicted here? All I know is that sometimes my immediate and SUPER POWERFUL instinct is to say... "Sure!!!", "I'm so glad you asked!", "I'd love to!", "I'll get right on that!", "No problem!", and on and on and on and on... I have an instinctual feeling that I should DO. Even some things that I am just not capable of doing.
It seems the mountain I am about to climb will sound more like... "I don't know if I have time.", "I don't know how that works.", "Are you speaking English?!?!?!" and my favorite... "NO!"
So, this is one of the greatest quandaries of my life... When to STRIVE for GREATNESS and when to say... "I give!"???
My example includes frustration, confusion, fear, shame, procrastination, hope, great ideas, trust, last minute cover my butt's, disappointment AND a lesson. Unfortunately, the lesson is not my first and probably not my last on this particular subject. So, here goes...
I was asked, to my great honor, to create a picture for the front of my mom's 4th grade Vacation Bible School class. The theme is ironically FEAR. Ha! And, I had HUGE ideas bubbling up in my head for a week or two! Well, because I want you to keep on reading, I will try to be concise... I started way later than I should have. I was WAY too detailed! Just to give you an idea... I was trying to make the roller coaster car sparkle NOT with glitter (which seems so obvious now...) but by using a heat fusible fiber and shaping it to give dimension. The greenery was made from the funny papers wadded up and smeared with green acrylic paint. And the sky needed wool! I mean DUH! Also... pictures of my nieces/dads hands enlarged and used to be lifelike. All of this was going to hang on butcher paper for a week and then torn down and thrown away. I was sure I could do it. And I knew there was NO WAY. Oh, and do we think that I let anyone know what was going on or NOT going on with my door hanging? No... not until I had given up and sat staring... day dreaming about how it should have been and trying to figure out how I could make it work... and watching (almost tangibly) the panic build in me as I tried to figure out how to tell my mom that I just couldn't. When I finally got the words out (and tried like mad to not make my mom feel bad for asking me!!!) we were in to the final 24 hours before the kiddos would walk through that door...
Don't worry... Mom and Pops got their heads together and whipped together a perfect door hanging! And, I tried to explain myself. I was honored to be asked. I wanted to do it! I think I will be capable of doing something like this in the future. This time... I learned a lesson and got my butt saved again.
So, Opposite Action Day and Opposite Day ARE NOT THE SAME! The idea behind Opposite Action is to do the most effective thing possible. Effective Action Day just doesn't have the same ring to it...
:-P
Have a great Opposite Action Day!
Leslie,
Your Favorite Oxymoron
My example includes frustration, confusion, fear, shame, procrastination, hope, great ideas, trust, last minute cover my butt's, disappointment AND a lesson. Unfortunately, the lesson is not my first and probably not my last on this particular subject. So, here goes...
I was asked, to my great honor, to create a picture for the front of my mom's 4th grade Vacation Bible School class. The theme is ironically FEAR. Ha! And, I had HUGE ideas bubbling up in my head for a week or two! Well, because I want you to keep on reading, I will try to be concise... I started way later than I should have. I was WAY too detailed! Just to give you an idea... I was trying to make the roller coaster car sparkle NOT with glitter (which seems so obvious now...) but by using a heat fusible fiber and shaping it to give dimension. The greenery was made from the funny papers wadded up and smeared with green acrylic paint. And the sky needed wool! I mean DUH! Also... pictures of my nieces/dads hands enlarged and used to be lifelike. All of this was going to hang on butcher paper for a week and then torn down and thrown away. I was sure I could do it. And I knew there was NO WAY. Oh, and do we think that I let anyone know what was going on or NOT going on with my door hanging? No... not until I had given up and sat staring... day dreaming about how it should have been and trying to figure out how I could make it work... and watching (almost tangibly) the panic build in me as I tried to figure out how to tell my mom that I just couldn't. When I finally got the words out (and tried like mad to not make my mom feel bad for asking me!!!) we were in to the final 24 hours before the kiddos would walk through that door...
Don't worry... Mom and Pops got their heads together and whipped together a perfect door hanging! And, I tried to explain myself. I was honored to be asked. I wanted to do it! I think I will be capable of doing something like this in the future. This time... I learned a lesson and got my butt saved again.
So, Opposite Action Day and Opposite Day ARE NOT THE SAME! The idea behind Opposite Action is to do the most effective thing possible. Effective Action Day just doesn't have the same ring to it...
:-P
Have a great Opposite Action Day!
Leslie,
Your Favorite Oxymoron
Boy do I have a story to tell you!!!!! When we talk, you'll think it's crazy, but I know that anxiety way too well!!!!!!!! I'll see you at Braums in a few minutes. ;) lol
ReplyDeletehow bout mañana? for reals! i need some COLD comfort food... serious!
Delete