I am learning so much from this struggle with laundry.
Here is a peak into the thought download that uncovered my true feelings about laundry.
Thought Download: Laundry
I am responsible for this
It is my job to get done
I don't want to do it
Is there any way around it? Not really unless I hire it out
I get annoyed by it
This is always a problem
I don't really know how to do it
This problem is not going away
I might as well figure this out
Here are my new thoughts about laundry.
I can do this
I am figuring this out
I don't have to like it to do it
I might as well enjoy the process
God isn't punishing me with laundry
He could be glorified and worshipped in this simple act
Let's see how much fun I can have with doing the laundry
What is God teaching me about Him in this space
I wanted to share this process with you because I think this could be helpful to you. You can do the same thing. You can examine your current thoughts about something and see what that thinking is making you feel.
From the top list I feel: responsible, annoyed, frustrated, rejecting it, incapable, inadequate, done
Where the bottom list I feel: capable, curious, neutral, not punished or off the hook, worshipful, FUN, teachable.
As I am shifting in my mindset I feel totally different about laundry. Isn't that funny 😀.
From feeling capable, curious, and neutral I asked around about different ways to actually do laundry. I admitted I didn't know what to do, but that I was learning. And that I had a desire to change in this one area. Feeling like I wanted to learn and that I was teachable created a space for me to want to learn and grow and get better at this area of my life. The thoughts that this could be worshipful, glorifying, and fun makes me want to find a time in my week to own this thing called laundry and to give it all back to God who gifted me with this in the first place.
The other day my 3 year old was whining about not wanting to take a nap. I told her there is really no way around it. You have to lay down and get rest so you can wake up and feel rejuvenated and play. I told her she had two options but with either option she was ultimately taking a nap. You can either fuss, whine, refuse it, get a consequence and still take a nap. Or you can get happy about taking a nap and just do it, take the nap. Either way the nap is happening, the question is, do you enjoy it or refuse it? I think God was actually talking to me. He said, "Here's the thing the laundry is going to happen, you can either throw a fit about it and have the consequences of that, or you can get happy about it and let it be a blessing to you." Thanks God, I needed that reminder even if it came in the form of a whining 3 year old.
But see, it isn't just laundry. We all have areas that we are rejecting. For me it was laundry but for you it could be singleness, or dating, or your job, or your weight, or your family situation, or any current circumstances in your life. How are your current thoughts about that making you feel?
Does your current thought download look like mine about your dating, singleness, losing weight, managing your schedule, laundry, adulting, or your job?
Could you sit down and identify the thoughts that are keeping you stuck in your current results. Because although I would have liked to blame others for my current results with laundry, the reason I had this struggle was me. And I hate to break it to you sister, but it is you. If you don't like your current results with singleness, dating, your job, your bank account, your weight. It is you! Now that we have that settled, what are you going to do about it?
I offer you some of the thoughts that shifted for me and see if you like them.
I can do this
I am figuring this out
I don't have to like it to do it
I might as well enjoy the process
God isn't punishing me with...
He could be glorified and worshipped in this simple act
Let's see how much fun I can have with...
What is God teaching me about Him in this space
I hope some of these thoughts shift you just a bit so that like me and laundry, game on!
I am going to love laundry this week.
Here's to shifting,
Angie
