Librarian in St. Louis is doing 22 things including…

work my way through "The Not So Big Life" by Sarah Susanka

9 cheers |

Librarian has written 2 entries about this goal

Projects and time  — 3 months ago

I should have had this book when I was doing my exploration of a healthier attitude toward time. These paragraphs are from page 36 of The Not So Big Life by Sarah Susanka.

Whenever we engage in a project, we perceive that project as being something out there in the world, something outside ourselves. But when our to-do list is running us instead of serving as a management aid, it’s a flag that we’ve lost sight of the inspiration and vision behind what we’re doing. Although it seems that the point lies in the successful completion of the project, in fact the only reason for doing it is to be fully engaged in the experience, so that we can learn more about who we truly are.

If we are trying to accomplish a project by frenetically racing around in a vain attempt to get everything done, the results will embody that frantic energy. But if we return to our original vision and hold that clearly in heart and mind as we engage each moment fully, the completed project will be an embodiment of this much more authentic expression of our selves. This is the only way for something to be truly effective.

In other words, the point isn’t the project itself. The point is to learn as much as we possibly can about ourselves, who we are now, and who we are becoming through the process of accomplishing the task at hand.

Not So Big  — 4 months ago

For the last month, I’ve rejected every self help book I started because the process in Your Best Year Yet by Jinny S. Ditzler has consumed every molecule I want to devote to self improvement right now.

But The Not So Big Life is different from the rest in a number of ways:
  • I’ve been a huge fan of Sarah Susanka even before she started publishing books—ever since I realized that three of the houses in my dream house file were her design.
  • I’m a huge fan of her other books, The Not So Big House series.
  • I’m enjoying the metaphor that remodeling your life is much like remodeling your house—especially given how home-based many of my current projects are.
  • This looks like a process that will work underneath the Your Best Year Yet process, providing emotional and spiritual underpinnings to the things that I get done.

So, I’m going to commit to working through this book, complete with special notebook and exercises.

Librarian has gotten 9 cheers on this goal.

 

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