Saturday, October 12, 2013

Day Twelve- Letting Go of Unfinished Projects




We all have them. Those projects that we’ve started but just can’t seem to finish. Every time you look in the corner, open the closet door, or go into the garage, they are there. The craft project you bought to do with your kids because it looked like fun, but was a lot more work than you planned. The DIY that seemed simple enough, but actually created more work. Half-read books. Piles of scrapbooking stuff that you’ve accumulated only to discover that you don’t really like scrapbooking (my own personal confession). All of those things that you’ve started with the best of intentions, but can’t seem to muster the motivation to complete. 

Maybe you feel frustrated when you see them. Or even experience a twinge of guilt. After all, haven’t you heard that successful people always finish what they start? Don’t you want to be a successful person? Perhaps you’ve tried leaving them out in the hope that if you continue to trip over them you will get motivated to finish them. Whatever the case, they are still unfinished.

Perhaps it’s time for you to make a decision. Either finish the project or simply let…it…go.

A couple of years ago I finally learned that it was okay to let go of unfinished projects from Gretchen Rubin, author of The Happiness Project and Happier at Home. Her words of wisdom completely set me free! I don’t have to hang on to all of those things that I started and then abandoned for whatever reason. I was hanging on to quite a few projects because I had convinced myself that I should like them. Stuff I should do with my girls. Stuff I should do for my house. I guess I needed someone to give me permission to let them go. Such a relief!

Take an honest look at your space and consider those unfinished projects just hanging around. Is it something important that you need to finish? If so, make a plan and just do it! If not, then just let it go! 

“Besides the noble art of getting things done, there is the noble art of leaving things undone.  The wisdom of life consists in the elimination of non-essentials.”  ~Lin Yutang

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