SeriousKarma

Sometimes..... all the time....... stress can cause me to shut down.

Getting divorced, after 23 years, from the alcoholic love of ones life can be a little bit stressful.

Some days I can do just enough to get by. Nothing more, nothing less. Always aiming for bedtime or the next nap. To-do lists pile up. Purposeful thinking becomes next to impossible.

Back a few weeks ago Thumper made mention of "doing the next right thing" in a thread. The concept stuck in my mind as something do-able for someone like me, who suffers from chronic inertia.

I didn't have to go to work today. Instead of sitting around watching my fingernails grow I made myself run an errand to gather some information for my upcoming divorce from the local military post. It was "the next right thing". One errand became two, two became three. three became four.

I know it doesn't seem like a big deal, but doing those few "right things" made me so d@mn happy.

Thanks Thumper.

honeypig

Thanks for this post, SeriousKarma. I tend to get paralyzed and overwhelmed by the number of things I need to get done in the time I have, too. I've heard the phrase "do the next right thing" before but hadn't applied it to myself in quite this way. It's a useful insight.

happybeingme

I think its great you got so much done. Thats awesome. I very much live by the motto " why do today what you can put off until tomorrow". So I think you did a whole bunch of " the next right thing" bravo!

SparkleKitty

Since the first time I heard this phrase on SR oh, two years ago? it has been my mantra. Serves me in stressful times but also in the everyday, where I am expected to manage multiple projects at once for multiple people. Its applications are endless!

Thumper

That is a great way to use that little nugget of wisdom! It has sure served me well over the last few years. I'm glad you shared .

SeriousKarma

Hi Thumper! I'm glad you showed up.

Like I said in the OP, thanks for bringing it to my attention. I can see it's going to be a very useful tool to have in my toolbox.

Now I'm kind of curious as to how other people interpret and use the phrase.

gleefan

SK - I apply the next right thing the same way as you - to move forward even when I'm not motivated to do so.

Eauchiche

Very helpful concept.
I also got a foretaste of step 12 today in a conversation with a young friend who is chasing an estranged girlfriend. The way he described her sounded exactly like my AH!!! I felt more clarity about my situation in talking to him. I see now how step 12 works.

lizatola

I love that concept, too. I remember the first time my sponsor said it to me and I was like, "Say what???" I had no idea what that meant or how to implement it into my life.

I just met with a second lawyer this AM to get some more information and she handed me a packet where I could work through my financials and she asked me to do two budgets based on those papers. I was already overwhelmed just sitting there with her but she was so helpful and clear and even she said, "Just do one at a time." One thing at a time, one step at a time, the next right thing......makes things so much easier for me because I can wrap my head around the number 1. Wrapping my head around my endless to do list is definitely not just 1, LOL! It's more like 50!

Thanks for bringing the topic back up!

lillamy

Thank you. I've had a week of frozenness and inability to get moving unless I had a glowing firepower at my rear. is exactly what I need to focus on.