Milestones!

Milestones!

©Allen Merritt (2015)

I've been traveling a lot lately and simultaneously trying to keep up with several projects. Sometimes it feels overwhelming, but in the end when it all comes together I am happy to accomplish the tasks.

In the thick of it all I found myself taking a moment to visit the hotel fitness center. I hopped on the treadmill because I enjoy walking and running as part of my workout. I noticed that the digital screen in front of me tracked me around an animated track. One lap equaled ¼ mile. I discovered myself at the beginning trying to move forward as I have my work. A few minutes went by and I was already around the track and moving into a new lap. After a bit, I observed how I was giving myself a verbal pat on the back and saying, “Good going. That’s 15 minutes and one mile behind you.” That passing of time and waiting to cross a threshold is always there and every chance I get to recognize reaching a milestone I willingly accept it.

Sometimes you have to distract yourself. Find things to think about that take your mind off the hard and difficult tasks. Otherwise, the doldrums, negative forces and bah humbugs take over and try to bring you down and make time pass slowly.

For me, I like to think about things I am trying to accomplish or projects I am interested in pursuing and how I might get there, etc. I think of funny things or anything that takes me out of the task-oriented moment and pushes me along. At least on a treadmill you have the ability to put the body on auto pilot and let your mind wander and explore other possibilities and perspectives. This may not work in other situations, but it does on that treadmill. I guess you could say the treadmill builds perspective and shows it to you. You visually see where you started and where you are now. I believe everyone needs encouragement and to see the result of their good and hard work. If it cannot come from the environments we participate in, then maybe it can come from within-side ourselves such as on that old treadmill. Why not!

If I go to the gym every day I can visibly see and remind myself that I am doing things and accomplishing things. I am reaching milestones all the time and never realize it.  I can then transfer that into the rest of my everyday life.

I guess, On a Positive Note, taking a moment to come back to one’s self provides a chance to see things clearly and consider every part of the whole. Milestones are like goals. We work toward them. We reach them. We surpass them. We create new ones. We just need to remind ourselves that they are there.

Instead of getting bogged down by it all, we can remember how things will pass by and new things will take their place. In a nutshell, any negative situation is only temporary!

Moreover, when you are working on several projects simultaneously, reaching several milestones can happen more quickly. I love that idea! I love feeling doubly productive whenever I can. And, when that happens, I feel the smiles take over.

So this week, I am encouraging everyone to reach for and recognize their milestones. We all are accomplishing something. May it be a good thing that makes you smile.

 Hey, if it puts a smile on your face, it can’t be all that bad, can it?  80)

Cheers!