Later?

When I was young, there would be something I needed to do, and I'd say to myself, "I'll do it later." Then I would go and take a nap, or make a bagel, or watch something on TV. Time went by, and then I'd either (1) miss doing the thing I needed to do and deal with the consequences of missing it, or (2) realize that I needed to get and scramble to complete it even though I did not have enough time to do it well.

At some point, I don't remember when or why, I realized what I was doing and that it was making my life more difficult than it needed to be.

Nowadays, I still think "I'll do that later." However, more often than not, right after I think this, I will think, "I'm doing that thing where I lie and say I'll do it later. That's not going to happen! I'll do it now so I don't need to remember it or think about it."

This has made my life easier.

Today, something interesting happened. I was hungry and found myself craving a particular meal. I did not need to make this meal. There were many other appealing things I could eat that didn't involve any cooking, or involved less cooking, but I wasn't craving any of those things in the same way...

I thought to myself, "I'll just make what I'm craving later."

Then, I thought, "Will I?"

And then I thought, "Chances are I won't do it later because I'll be busy later."

The point I think I'm trying to make (if only to myself) is that I can apply my Do it now because you know you won't do it later mindset to things that are about pleasure.

This is rather obvious, and yet it had not occurred to me in a concrete way until today.

I. Am. An. Idiot.

Thanks for reading!

-N