Everyone forgets things. Your keys when you're in a hurry, where you put your phone while it's still in your hand, and where in the world did I set that remote control? Sometimes it's an annoying inconvenience that makes you late for work. Every once in a while it's because we're trying to focus on too many things and don't have the brain power for all we've put on our plates(I tend to make excuses for these ones, queue Bad Habits by Mr. Sheren). Then, there are happy little accidents(you turn some of these into trees.. like Bob Ross).
What they all have in common is that they inconvenience someone. If you're lucky, that someone is just yourself. But sometimes our mistakes and forgetfulness spill out onto other people. This can be even worse when you do it in the workplace. It adds stress to your life and more importantly others that you share this space with.
I did this recently, and even though it wasn't intentional, it has had an effect on myself and others around me. Immediately I want to cover it up or try not to acknowledge it even happened. That's where that little voice from my right shoulder whispers to me "That's some addict sh!t Mitchell". I had a choice here. Admit to what happened and do my part to make it right while devising a plan on how I'm not going to let this happen again, or try and sweep it under the rug and run away from it with a fake smile on my face.
“I thought about the days I had handed over to a bottle..the nights I can't remember..the mornings I slept thru..all the time spent running from myself.”― Mitch Albom
Recovery has allowed me to gain a self-awareness I've never experienced in life before. I started asking myself "Why did I do this?", "How do keep this from happening again?". I had to look at a picture bigger than what I had forgotten and the fallout of what happened afterward. This moment of self-awareness made me realize my life was missing a structure somewhere. I have been living in the ignorant bliss of a go-with-the-flow attitude and it was fun while it lasted, I had even found peace in parts of it. But now that it's affecting people around me, and myself, in a negative way...something has to change. This could be the beginning of my life becoming unmanageable again and that's a long, hard, and slippery slope I can't go down. I don't have one more time left in me.
So, I am devising a plan, making a key, and re-evaluating why I'm letting myself fall into this behavior so I can keep it from happening moving forward. If you find yourself being forgetful and the consequences are starting to splash a mess on those around you, I recommend doing the same. Living with wise intentions, as the Dharma groups put it, is one of the paths out of a life of suffering. That sounds much better to me than a life adding stress and the disappointment of others.
That's my key to not forgetting things at work. Analyze, form a plan, and initiate.
We're quickly approaching the weekend, Let's take some wise actions with pure intentions while welcoming in the transformative colors of fall...and try not to think too much about the snow that will be flying in a month or so.
Bye!
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