You know that feeling when your head hurts, you’re low on energy, you have a million things to do and have no idea where to begin? We all do. You look around your barn or your office and wonder to yourself, “how did this mess get here?” and/or “who is responsible for this?” The mess you see is often the result of too little time, too little staff, and too much work.
Our messes can be very visible and obvious to the people around us. Those are the physical messes. This mess typically does not appear overnight. It builds slowly over time and accumulates to the point in which you break. Sometimes we are solely responsible for the mess and other times, a handful of clients, boarders, clients, and staff have contributed to it! The physical mess reaches a point where we can no longer ignore it because of its profound impact on our headspace! Recognizing and addressing the mess in our lives is the responsible thing to do, but we tend to procrastinate when we need to deal with unpleasant things and most especially, unpleasant conversations. The mess hangs heavily on our shoulders and creates a barrier to our success.
For as much as we hate to deal with a messy tack room, aisle way, barn, or trailer, we dread dealing with our messy relationships. Unfortunately, you can’t travel through life without misunderstandings and disagreements. We need to recognize the consequences of our decisions and prioritize who and what we value most. Daily tasks, work-related conflicts, and busy schedules are inevitable, but a messy and unhealthy life does not have to be. Slow down and ask yourself, “ How is my perspective impacting this situation?” Is your frustration solely related to this one topic, or has it been built from other messes in your life? When it might not be clear where your mess originated, follow these steps!
Where to begin:
1. Acknowledge it. “ I have a mess” or maybe more appropriately, “ I am a mess”.
2. No judgement. We all have experienced dealing with a mess in our lives and it is not our place to judge ourselves or others.
3. Ask for help. Showing vulnerability and asking for help actually can tear down barriers and begin to lay a foundation of health and structure for the future. Any time someone asks for help, they are sharing a vision of what could be and the opportunity to be part of it.
4. Baby steps. The idea is to keep moving forward, even if it’s taking baby steps. When we address a physical mess, we clear the way for our emotions and personal wellness to flourish.
5. Enjoy it! When we address a mess and set a new standard for our day-to-day living and training, we grow more confident having persevered through difficult challenges!
So, look around you. Where do you see messes? What can you do to set a course for clarity of thought, emotional wellness, healthy relationships and efficient business practices? Be honest with yourself, be kind to others, and get to addressing your mess.