April 1, 2022 – The Fifty-Ninth Official Friday Night BeerBlog

First of all, Happy April Fool’s Day. I wish that the title subject was just a joke, but it’s not and they are. The easiest things are sometimes the hardest to do. They just are. We often set ourselves up with crazy and unbelievably hard things to do or to achieve and we go at them with a vengeance. But then other things, which seem so simple in nature, nag at us and wear on us like a giant albatross.

The Small Stuff vs. Big Stuff

I’m sure that you have heard the saying “Don’t sweat the small stuff, and it’s all small stuff.” Well, I’m going to take certain liberties with that quote. I believe there is small stuff and then there’s big stuff with a bunch of small stuff inside.

I consider the small stuff to be those easy little things that keep life moving forward. Going to the bank, calling an old friend, reading that book you got for Christmas, calling the handyman to finally come build that little wood retaining wall out back….Mike.

But I also believe that all small stuff leads to big stuff. Going to the bank allows you to get your bills paid; calling your old friend gives you a much needed smile; reading that book allows you to talk with authority at your book club; making that handyman appointment allows you to grow back the grass where all of the supplies to build said wall have been sitting since last August…Mike.

When The Small Stuff Is Too Easy

The problem lies in how easy or how hard the small stuff is. We tend to be much more likely to tackle the thing if it seems hard. We develop a plan to get those things done. And we lay the easy tasks to the side because we can knock those out anytime. Don’t believe me? Look at your to-do list and if you don’t have one, let me share what I find with mine.

Every morning I create a list of things that I really need to get done that day. Some of it easy that should not take much time, some of it hard that will take a good portion of time. At the end of the day, I guarantee more times than not the things left undone are things like “Answer such and such email” or a mundane errand like “Get new passport photo at Walgreens”. But I’m sure to tackle, “Edit that podcast” or “Do research and write a blog post”.

The time differential is great, but yet I always tend to lay the easy things aside. And they pile up.

Taking Aim At My Monthly Betterment

If you’ve been reading the blog or listening to the FNBB podcast you know that I have been tackling a monthly goal each month for the betterment of my health. In January I went DRY. That was hard and it took a lot of thought and dedication. In February I cut out big late night desserts with just a few chocolate chips. Again, very hard for me and it took a daily amount of willpower. Then came March.

My “health goal” in March was to drink a glass of water first thing in the morning before I had coffee. After January and February I felt this goal was almost a joke. It was too easy. A no brainer. March just ended. How did I do I ask? It was a huge fail. I think I did this thing maybe 7 days of the 31.

Just seven days. This thing that I thought would be so easy was too hard. My intentions were good. It was just too easy to complete. Oops I forgot, I’ll do it tomorrow. Oops, maybe tomorrow. And yes, I even tried putting out a glass next to the coffee pot to remind me. I found that the only thing I can see at 6am is the coffee pot.

Don’t Underestimate The Easy Stuff

I think the act of drinking a glass of water every morning is laughing at me for underestimating it. And I’ve learned my lesson. Sometimes those easy things are the hardest and we don’t realize it until our backs are against the wall. That small, easy thing of drinking a glass of water every morning could really lead to some much needed changes and betterment of my overall health. So how small is that easy thing really?

I’m making the decision to do better in April. I am going to take this water challenge seriously and not put aside the seemingly easy. I’m going make a point to knock those easy things off my list so they don’t pile up.

This means I will finally take my set of steak knives that I’ve been carrying around in a Target bag in my car to be sharpened for the first time in 20 years. They literally don’t cut anything anymore and need some attention. I have a gift certificate and all I have to do is drop them off. I mean, seriously!

Wishing you luck on getting your easy things done. They matter.

LLM

PODCAST LINK: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1594894/10363426