By Larry Deavers
LEAVE SOMETHING IN THE TANK
For many of us , it ’ s very common to take on so many commitments that we find ourselves operating right on the edge of doing absolutely as much as we can do . The problem this presents is that when we encounter some unexpected stressor or our day doesn ’ t go quite the way we planned , we reach the point of being overextended , exhausted and frustrated . Besides the mental toll this takes on us , feeling this way , even for a few hours or days , typically has many negative impacts on everyone around us and all of our work and personal relationships .
You can help guard against finding yourself in this state by practicing the principle of “ leaving something in the tank .” I remember my Dad always warning against bringing the car home with a near empty tank of gas because we might find ourselves in an emergency with not enough fuel . You can implement this same principle by being mindful of your own
energy , time and financial demands and recognizing when you need to slow down , say NO or otherwise set aside a little to have in reserve .
If you continually find yourself responding to situations instead of proactively planning ahead , slow down . Find some time to carefully evaluate the number and intensity of the obligations you have taken on and begin prioritizing those that are most important to you . Downsizing your obligations is one key way to begin taking more control of your life . What do you have going on that could simply be scaled back ?
Question your way of thinking about things that may have you feeling that there is no way out of some of your obligations . What are the “ sacred cows ” in your life that you feel just can ’ t be downsized ? Start by putting everything on the table and examine each of them objectively . Take a step back and do your best to fearlessly question why those obligations cannot be altered . Is it simply your perspective , your own emotional needs or a desire to keep up appearances ? It is often those areas of november / december 2024
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