Do the Next Thing
Do the Next Thing
Many moons ago, I went through a rough period of life. It was traumatic at the time, of course. As a teenager without the frame of experience or the seeing eye of your future, things tend to look worse than they are. Some of the things happening in my life were indeed traumatic and uncomfortable even to this day. Some were little more than teen angst. Most floated between those two extremes.
I confided in my great-grandmother. I told her how hard everything felt and how I felt I was struggling. And do you know what her advice was? "Sometimes, you just do the next thing."
I remember thinking that was terrible advice. But, she went on to explain that sometimes, you just keep on keeping on by doing the next thing. You don't have to make it better or worse or find up or down or make a decision. Just do the next thing until you are strong enough to do more.
Years later, when my baby boy had open heart surgery and my fear was paralyzing, I just did the next thing.
When that same grandmother passed away and I knew the loss of my best friend, I just did the next thing.
When my sister died and I had to figure out how to live without a part of my heart, I just did the next thing.
Sometimes, the next thing is realizing you need help and calling a grief counselor. Sometimes, the next thing is just getting out of bed.
There have been so many times that I've been overwhelmed and heartbroken and anxious and I've relied heavily on the advice I received as a 15 year old girl from a wisened old woman who endured life experiences I can't fathom.
Just do the next thing.
We have 113 days left in this year. And I'd love to say something like, "Make it great!" Or maybe, "You can do this!" I mean you can. You can do it. You can make it great. I believe in you.
But if you are struggling, remember that sometimes, you just need to do the next thing.
And that's okay.
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