Welcome to week 14 of Contemplation, where we share our responses to a prompt from my Kikki.K A Sentence A Day journal.

This week’s prompt: What challenge did you overcome today?

You know, I’m not so sure that overcame any challenges today. I don’t know whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing?

  • Maybe I’m lucky that there weren’t any tough challenges thrown at me today.
  • Or maybe I didn’t step up, instead just going with the flow and not facing anything challenging.

This prompt made me think. I kind of wish I’d read it yesterday so I could have stepped up today 😉

One thing I will say, is that I think I’ve become better at letting things go. Irritations, particularly those at work, that crop up from time to time, have become less important to me. I’ve learnt that they are simply distractions and that the more time and energy I give them, the less time and energy I have for the important things, the things that I’d rather be doing, that make me happy.

Simple enough, right? But I have always struggled with this. With moving my focus away from the things that really shouldn’t matter. I guess it’s easier to spend time on those irritations because they are right there in front of you and you don’t have to work at them. The squeaky wheel gets the oil, that’s the way it goes, isn’t it?

But it’s amazing how much you can accomplish if you just “don’t sweat the small stuff”. Just let go of the little things that don’t really matter.

  • So what if one of your colleagues talks loudly on the phone just a few feet from your desk? Put some headphones on and listen to some Beach Boys.
  • You forgot your office key? Just go have a coffee with your laptop and catch up on some emails while you wait for your colleagues to arrive.
  • Your friend likes to talk over you when you talk? Yeah, that’s a tough one, but I think if you stop talking as soon as they start doing it, they will figure it out. Well, I really hope so!

How about you, did you manage to overcome a challenge today?

Here’s how my fellow contemplaters have been coping with challenges:

Julie Powell: Photographer and Graphic Artist

Deb’s World 

x desleyjane

Posted by:desleyjane

photographer, blogger, planner, scientist, dog lover, frequent flyer, daughter, sister, BFF, human

26 replies on “Contemplation – Week 14”

  1. Oh that last one about a friend talking over you….yes, I do exactly what you say. I stop talking. And just smile. Honestly, I don’t know if they get it or not, but it makes me stop, exhale, and not sweat the small stuff. Great post, Desley.

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  2. Challenges today? Why is it we always see yesterday’s challenges more clearly than today’s? Although yours sound as if they may be today’s, yesterday’s and tomorrow’s! Your strategies are good, as is your spelling out of what irritates. For me yesterday, the challenge was trusting that I’d read the platform number correctly for the Warsaw train, and refraining from anxiously asking everyone in the crowd on the platform if they were going to Warsaw. And guess what? I got on the right train! Of course.

    This is a pretty feeble challenge. Maybe I too am just not stepping up. For a while in my 50s life was a series of challenges and I thrived (throve??)

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    1. Exactly, hindsight, as they say, is a wonderful thing. I’m glad you also have less dramatic challenges than I was imagining when reading the prompt. Maybe it’s just our reward for overcoming so many challenges so gracefully in the past? 😉😉😉

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  4. Pingback: Contemplation – Week 14 | Julie Powell – Photographer & Graphic Artist

  5. Sweet post here, great attitude dear! Sometimes all we need is take some distance from the “challenges”, let it all go to realise it was not that big after all. To me everything becomes challenging if I feel sleep deprived . Naps are the best antidotes to every little challenge, and if I don’t have time just trying to focus on my breath for a while. It may not dissolve all the bad mood but it definitely helps 😉 have a sweet day 🌞

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  6. Life is way more challenging in working life. I admire how you are coping. I remember those irritations from working in an advertising office. Especially the loud talking on a phone. My challenge? Oh yes, we have just bought a cross trainer!!! I’m ashamed to admit I can only keep going for 2 minutes before I collapse in a breathless heap. So my challenge is to conquer and surpass the pathetic 2 minutes

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    1. You go girl! That’s impressive! You’re right, work challenges are hard. I’ve worked from home for more than 11 years now so entering an office environment is definitely challenging.

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        1. Completely understand. They are very constrictive – especially when lots of staff turn up. I’ve been lucky that it’s just me and one other person at the moment and we get along famously.

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  7. Lots of everyday challenges that I can relate to here Desley! I think it’s good to have challenges in our lives but we have to realise that some things challenge us more than they might normally on any given day. Each day presents new challenges and at the moment I’m trying to deal with quite a few. So far I’m coping OK. Take it easy and keep going with the things that are important to you. 🙂

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  9. Pingback: Contemplation – Week 14: Challenges – Deb's World
  12. Pingback: Contemplation,Week 14 | XO NIN

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