I must clean my bathtub first!
I was getting ready for work the other day and as most mornings go for me I soak up every last minute of me time until I am pushing the limits of minutes that I have left to get ready to get to where I need to be.
As I was in the shower I realized that the tub needed cleaning! How did it get so unclean without me noticing?! Stress entered my body and for a moment I totally guilted myself about my dirty bathtub (which probably wasn't as bad as I'm making it seem but to the point where I knew it had to be cleaned).
I mean, how can I possibly be a good person and have a bathtub that looks like this?!?!?
😂😂😂
Since I had soaked up so much me time, I had less time to get ready and now I was contemplating how to add in this new task of cleaning the tub! I got out of the shower, dried off, turned around and sprayed the tub and walls of the shower. Great! I'll let it soak while I dry my hair!
Feeling like the master of the multi-task, I start to dry my hair, got my hair half way dry, stopped and turn around to scrub the tub. As I am half ass scrubbing the tub because I was in a hurry and didn't want to get gross from the tub. I was questioning all I was doing in that moment, I mean this seemed so backwards! Cleaning the tub AFTER I cleaned myself? and now it's getting a half ass job.
Why wouldn't I have cleaned the tub first and then showered? OR just leave it until I can do a good job and complete it well?!?!
Why was I SO urgent in that moment to get it done, like the world would end if I didn't get it clean right then?!
Just like that the ah ha moment hit me like a wall, you know those moments when you become the fly on the wall of your own life, the small lens you are looking through expands and things seem clearer. As I was rinsing the cleaner off the walls and tub, I saw me in my life. I am currently looking so far ahead at what's next in my life that I am prioritizing things ahead of cleaning my own bathtub! Something I use every day! When I look closer I can see this showing up everywhere!
Again...everywhere I go, there I am!!!
Right now I am prioritizing my dream world first, I have this incredible vision of what I want to have happen in my life, how great! right?! Well yes it's amazing that I have big dreams and sometimes so much so that I am missing the beauty of life that's happening right here, right now.
This entire week has been such a lesson of constant commitment to the present moment and by doing just this simple practice I have again shifted the lens I am looking through and right now, right here is the best time of my life. THIS IS IT!
The great, the not so great and the messy moments, like realizing your bath tub is almost at the point of no return. The Tragically Hip sang it best "no dress rehearsal this is our life".
Also what I am realizing is this big dream I have is actually SO far away and in order for me to get there I must clean my bathtub first!
Stay in the practice of being right here, right now because after all...
You are either here or you are no where.
My suggestion is;
discover practices that help you get present. A few of my own are gratitude, asana, breath, meditation and now cleaning my bath tub! Create time to make at least one apart of your life EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Is there somewhere in your life you can give something up to create space for at least one of these practices?
