to-do lists

Do More

Do More

Samantha Gratton

Do More | Moving Peaces | Photo by Israel Sundseth

Have you ever felt like your day was completely crammed? And at the end of the day you were totally exhausted? What if someone asked you right then to do more?

Do more with your life. Make it matter. Make an impact.

There are days when that request sounds near impossible. I feel maxed out and unsure of what more I have to offer. I feel so useless and defeated in that moment. It seems futile, so I resort to just doing what I know.

Doing what I know feels so safe. Sometimes even meaningless. I know how to write. I know how to connect people. I know how to organize details. Those are things I do, and do regularly.

Here’s what I’ve found: doing what you know CAN allow you to do more. I do those things anyway, right? So why not do them for the benefit of someone else? Why not take those strengths and skills and make them mean something? I can take my natural tendencies and channel them in a way that helps someone, encourages, supports, loves.

Suddenly, I am doing more with my life, making it matter and making an impact.

It’s not always about the time or the length of the to-do list. Doing more does not necessarily mean adding more stress or checkmarks. Doing more can simply mean doing what you do in a more meaningful way.

Why, Hello December

Samantha Gratton

So I suppose it seems like I fell off the grid for a couple of weeks, at least in the blogging world. Write something about life being hard and crazy sometimes and then go silent. Not exactly the most reflective of the latest. To be honest, I have a blog post or two just sitting, waiting to go public but haven’t hit the button. Something about this time of the year feels like everything is in fast forward, and I can’t keep up.

We are a third of the way through the month! Can you believe it? I sure can’t. There’s parties to attend, gifts to get, people to see, stuff to do. Between all that and everything ramping back up for both of us work-wise, I go back and forth between scrambling like a crazy lady and wanting to snuggle under some soft, warm blankets without tending to any of it.

Sometimes I feel like I have to fight and struggle to accomplish all the normal boring life things like paying bills and ordering checks (yes, I still use those), so adding anything else seems like a big deal. But somehow I’m going to find the time to sit still. To be. Be with people and not have to run to the other room to check something or do something else. My prayer today was that I could have a home that’s open and more importantly, available. I am so grateful for our house as it truly feels like a home and want it to reflect how I want to live. I want to see everyone and do everything, but not at the expense of our sanity. I don’t want to be a little stressball when things aren’t done yet, pushing out the people I want to be with and love on. I want to show love and care to others but not be so exhausted from running around that I have nothing left to offer. But hopefully what I lack in checked off to-dos I can make up for in sweet winter moments—alone, with the hubby, with friends, with family, with neighbors and with strangers.

Those Days

Samantha Gratton

Today was one of those days. Those days when you can’t seem to get out of bed or figure out what to wear. You hair isn’t cooperating, and the only way you could fit in breakfast was by eating yogurt during the car ride to work. Then you get some coffee and hope it all turns around. I had a rare “early out” at work today due to a very late night of work last night, meaning I was ready to hit the road by 3 p.m. and check off my list of to-dos including a long overdue trip to the bank and scoping out a new gym.

About three blocks from work I found myself instead stalled in the middle of a busy street as my apartment “relocation specialist” continued to make sure I couldn’t feel any more unwelcome over the phone. I attempted to restart the car to no avail. Hazards went on, a frantic voicemail to the hubby was left and a long call with AAA began as cars drove around my sad little car. Even if I could push a car by myself, who would steer? I was in the middle of three-lane traffic in an area I hardly knew. Eventually though, someone went and parked at the nearby grocery store to come back and push me down the road, all the while flagging traffic. I am so grateful for that stranger.

An hour later, the tow truck showed up and lo and behold – same guy as last time. Considering it had been so recent since I last saw him with the same problem (albeit, in far less perilous of a location) I could ask about how his new daytime shift was going, hear his anger about the replacement refs and tell him about my lackluster visit at the previous shop. The repair shop that a month ago said nothing was wrong with the car after it was towed there and spent two days being “worked on.” Sigh. He towed me to a new place and actually walked in to talk to the owner to explain the problem with the car he’d become so well acquainted with.

As I hurriedly biked to the bank to accomplish something today, I passed a few kids walking to the park. They shouted “Hello!” and I couldn’t help but smile and say hello right back. I thought about how kids have it so easy. How they don’t have the stressors of life bogging them down… but they think they do. They have struggles at school and clinging to their favorite toy at all times might make or break their happiness. To us though, those issues are so little in the large scheme of things. And really, aren’t mine too? I am quite alright. I may not have the greatest car or own a house or be making much money, but my life is good. Being stalled in the middle of a busy road caused some stress and sweat, but I had help from a stranger. The bank lobby closed before I managed to arrive, but I got to enjoy a fine moment of awkwardness at the drive-thru window on my bike. Even though it wasn’t at a gym, I got a workout in today. So chalk it up to one of “those days” but I’m okay because I am sure to experience new mercies every morning.

Prepared

Samantha Gratton

As we pack up, write to-do lists and make countless phone calls we keep readying ourselves for this move. We’ve each made smaller moves before, and I moved a bit more as a kid. I’ve read the blogs and we’ve talked plenty with other people that have moved. We’re ready, right?

Unlike most practical people, we’ve decided to participate in Ragbrai a week and a half before we move. Ragbrai is a week-long bike ride across the state of Iowa that occurs each year in July. Neither of us have ever ridden it before, so we committed to do a day or two together (prior to deciding to move). For months we’ve tried to get some miles in and work our way up and down hills. We’ve read blogs, talked to others who’ve done it and bought some supplies. We’re ready, right? 

What I’ve come to find is that whether or not we are ready cannot really be determined before we do it. We could try and compare to others and say, “if he can do it, so can I!” or “We’re in far better shape than they are!” But does it matter what they think or how we compare? Whether we’re ready or not, we’ll still have to actually do it. And guess what? I have a feeling my miles on the bike will help, but that it’s still going to be a challenge tomorrow. I’ll still feel the pain in my knees and sweat on my face. I’ll still be exhausted at the end of it all. And on mile 36, it doesn’t matter if I’m better off than someone else, because regardless, I’ll still have another 50 miles to go in the day. 

I think it will be the same with this move. We can try to prepare and talk to others. We can read up and be told we’ll be fine. But we’re still going to have to do it, and it’s still going to be hard. With it comes stress and pain and exhaustion. No matter how much we prepare, that can’t be avoided. And we’ll have to face it. We’ll have to get through each mile whether there is wind, rain, sun or bumps. We’re going to do this move and feel all of the elements against us. It might be fine in the end, but there’s no denying that it’s a real part of what we’re taking on. I think I want to embrace that and acknowledge that, as opposed to trying to overlook it. With this adventure comes a lot of challenges and risks. There’s no point in sugar-coating it. We’re going to do it though, and do it together as a team and be stronger in the end.