Although I have a secret yearning for a lush and perfect cottage garden like the kind you see on estate travel shows I also  know that’s requires more patience than anything else. At the same time there is weeding, fertilizing and pruning that needs to happen to get it there.  Getting the bare minimum done happens but along with that I discover that I’ve been using excuses to avoid doing more – every time I think a task will take four or five hours I find that I’ve accomplished most of it inside an hour.  How much more would happen if I estimated the task accurately? Even though my garden isn’t critical to work or love I consider it a key part of my home environment – a messy garden is no different than leaving clothes on the floor. It’s unsettling and leaves me feeling critical of myself. It should be something that is joyful, not guilt inducing.

Most definitely my number one excuse is ‘it will take a long time’ followed by the timing isn’t right – usually because it’s raining or I will need to clean up to go somewhere later.  Not a long list of excuses but powerful ones in my personal arsenal.

Next week – the strategy to being a better caretaker

Holding Myself Accountable

So how is it working?  I think I’m doing a little better:

• Photography – I’ve got a rough draft of my first book essay, which is 600 more words than existed last week
• Weight & Exercise – while I haven’t fit in the exercise consistently I’ve done some and I’ve got the month’s food prepped in the freezer. Now that meals are just a microwave away I should free up that 30 minutes in the evening for moving

Technorati Tags: common excuses, lessons from the garden, self-talk