Respond

I have found that in order to get this blog out in a quasi timely manner, I need to kind of decide on the content the night before. I am sure that by now you have noticed the Facebook post melds with the blog post melds with the music. It would probably be much easier to write if I was writing once a week; I committed to daily writing. And as such, sometimes I get writers or inspiration block.

Since I decided this month I was going to pull quotes out of the book, Words of Wisdom for Women, it has made it both easier and harder. The easy part is that my topic is picked for me. The hard part is that now I need ponder the word, write about it, and really, the most difficult part of all, I need to find the music to go with it. (I get utterly lost in YouTube - it is mostly fun but sometimes quite distressing. "What?! It's two hours later and I still have nothing?!")

ANYWAY, last night when I pulled respond, THIS line resonated with me. "Respond in the moment - not days later with a chorus of I should have, I could have, Why didn't I...?

I am SO guilty of seeing an email come in - via my "Smart"phone - reading it and thinking I will RESPOND to it as soon as I get home. OHHHHhhhhh SOoooooo not true! I have a large "Old Mail" file - especially on my AOL address since that's in the page behind "New Mail" and unless I am on my phone, those messages stay there until I actually click on the tab. In my Gmail accounts I am even worse since you can't sort by date (drives me bat shit crazy, for the record).

If I am waiting at an appointment I can usually plow through at least 20 emails, but man, they do tend to just sit in a holding pattern.

SO - last night, when I opened up to this word I realized I there were at least three emails I really had intended to answer. I took the time to write. They weren't necessarily long, impassioned responses, but at least I acknowledged the sender. (As an FYI, in general, my email responses tend to be short and to the point as opposed to if you get me chatting...) 

I do the same thing with RSVP's, writing checks for activities, yada, yada, yada. It certainly doesn't help me get anything done quickly if I put it off.

Thus, when Bella handed me a form this morning, I wrote the check right then and there. If I can respond TODAY to everything as it hits, I will feel like I "got" this prompt. Today, I have already "increased my response-ability!"

What about you?

xo

Respond
When someone asks, answer. When someone looks you in the eyes, look back. When something touches you, be touched. Respond to kindness in kind. Respond to threats with courage; respond to oppression with outrage. Respond to a genuine compliment with a genuine Thank you. Respond in the moment - not days later with a chorus of I should have, I could have, Why didn't I...? Increase your response-ability. Respond with love when you feel loved. Respond with very clear and precise boundaries when you feel violated. Respond according to how you truly feel, not according to what you think is acceptable. Never apologize for your responses, as long as they are authentic and expressed with pure intention. If repeated attempts elicit no response from another human being, respond with your feet and walk away.

For ME - when I am all over the place and need to get stuff done, especially when I need to respond to stuff, I always turn to instrumentals. This is a glorious piece. Listen to it and maybe, just maybe respond to an email, RSVP to something you were going to do "in a minute" five days ago, write a check, pick up the phone to return a call. Use the song title and call it a POSITIVE distraction. You have ten minutes. Just do it. xo

http://youtu.be/hCpPA0Sy5-E