Eating Elephants

So, we've all heard the "one problem at a time" adage. It's one of my personal favorites-mainly because I always need to be reminded that if I try to take on everything, all at once, and with zero direction...I will end up in a total disaster. There's always this voice in my head that argues with this "one problem at a time" decision...it's like the whiny little kid at the grocery store that everyone has just given up on that just really, really, wants the new toy...the kind that make you think putting kids in trashcans with sound proof lids should definitely be legalized.

Anyway-a version of this kid lives in my head and throws an epic tempertantrum every time I try to approach something...simply. I don't know why I offer such a fantastic resistance to a what is obviously a much more logical approach.

Habit, perhaps.

I think I've found a new perspective on my beloved "one problem at a time" mantra-one that won't set the whiny kid in my head off into another useless and stress-inducing fit of rage.

It goes simply like this: "it's not that hard to eat an elephant".

So when I heard this the first time, my brain did one of those "huh?" moments where you heard what the person said but it doesn't really compute and then you figure that you didn't hear them right so you ask, "huh?". But no, I had heard correctly. It's not that hard to eat an elephant. And what's more, regardless of whether you start at the trunk or the tail the whole elephant is going to be right there, waiting to be eaten, one bite at a time.

I think I have officially scared off any children who may have been listening in, waiting for their moment to strike!

It's so true, though. When you're faced with an entire elephant that needs to be eaten, there's only one way to do it-one bite at a time using the resources you have.

It's a bit gruesome, if you really picture eating an elephant one bite at a time, hide and all, but it makes a cliched concept into something that is practically tangible. It also speaks to one of these great concepts in life that I am so bad at sometimes. It implies that all you have to do is start eating. You have to make a choice and simply do something.  No action worse than inaction and all that jazz.  Again, so astoundingly simple and yet so hard to implement when your guts are all tied up with the stress and pressure of EVERYTHING that is building and demanding attention. 

All of this could be greatly reduced if I could learn to say no...which I'm working on...but it's one of those things that I am just not hard-wired to do.  I love opportunities and projects and engagements and all of those things.  And, I hate paying for or missing out on things that I know I could do myself or, dare I say, do better than that other person...and so I take on all of these projects.  They come in many shapes and forms and they all take me farther away from the more peaceful, mindful life I want to live.

Which, occassionally feels like a full time job in and of itself.  The journey of being mindful threatens to consume me.  Which is ironic if I think about it.  Isn't it supposed to free me?

All I know is that currently on my plate is a really big elephant that needs to be eaten.  One bite at a time.  No souffles, no food processors...just me and my resources to get me through this stage of things.

I guess I should get to chewing.