Go Beyond

You may have to do a little bit of thinking today, but I promise it won't fry any brain cells.  This isn't rocket science, it's just a small exercise in developing a new mental habit.  Let me explain.

I wasn't feeling well the other day, so I laid on the couch and considered watching TV all day.  Partway into the View I decided I couldn't take Whoopi for one more minute so I slowly got up and began looking around the house.  A busy week certainly had taken its toll and it didn't make me feel any better to face it.

Since I was sick, I let myself off the hook to get ANYTHING done.  I "should" have laid on the couch and nursed my aching head.  But I thought, "I'll just do the dishes before I lie back down."

I saw the stacks of laundry and thought, "I'll just fold one load and then I'll put my feet up."

And, "Any minute now, I'm going to close my eyes.  But first I will wipe off the counters."

And several times, I DID lie down.  Man, it felt good.  But since I wasn't expecting myself to accomplish anything, it seemed like each small thing I did was a major victory.  I wanted to do them.

I did not win any speed-cleaning prizes that day.  I didn't even get all that much done.  But by the end of the day, when I looked around I was surprised at how much better things looked because I went just a little bit beyond what I thought I could do.

Today's Small Thing is to go beyond.  Take a look at your To Do's and pick one item.  With that one thing, take it a step beyond what you normally do with it.  For example:

• Washing dishes: dry them and put them away instead of letting them air dry all day in a rack
• Folding clothes: put them into the drawers instead of leaving them on the bed
• Making dinner:  wash up the utensils as you go
• Picking up toys: put them neatly in their place instead of chucking them into a pile
• Making up beds: place the nice pillows on them even though you know they'll just get thrown off again
• Brushing your teeth: wipe down the sink when you're through

You see, you don't HAVE to take that last step to complete a job.  With the busy lives we lead, we are used to doing the bare minimum and moving on.  That's called survival. But sometimes, taking a moment to put some icing on the cake with a little extra effort makes our lives seem richer.  Better.  Classier. 

I like that.

What can you do today to Go Beyond what you expect of yourself?  Make it as simple as you'd like.  You're trying on something new and it may take awhile to get used to a different mindset.  If you've failed in the past, don't let that stop you from taking a baby step toward excellence.  Remember, you don't HAVE to be excellent all day long.  Just pick one thing and do it better.

POINTS:  Oooh!  This is a good one!  50 points for going beyond today!

Let us know:  what ONE THING are you taking to the next level?  I'm going to put all my toiletries AWAY instead of leaving them on the bathroom counter.  Simple, but quite excellent.