Beginnings Are Seldom as Complicated as They Seem
Author: Maureen Killoran, MA, DMin

Beginnings are seldom as complicated as they seem. You know what I mean by “complicated – the dates and the duties and the things-to-be-remembered, the stuff that piles onto your plate with a new project or obligation. Whether it’s an urgent justice issue, a medical diagnosis forcing a changed lifestyle, or the work of starting a new job, the message is that a whole bunch of stuff HAS to be done, and you are the only one to do it, and do it NOW!

NOT.

What we’re talking about is STUFF. Stuff doesn’t care how you feel, how busy you already are, or what you personally think is most important. On the road of life, “stuff” is the tailgater, pushing you to hurry up, go faster, respond to its schedule at the expense of your own. In life, as on the highway, Gandhi, teaches the best way to deal with a tailgater – slow down.

When “stuff” presses you to move faster, accomplish more, or stress yourself harder than feels comfortable to you – STOP. Just for a moment – or longer if need be. Stop and breathe. Reconnect with your personal values. Take time to remember why you got involved in this project in the first place.

Remember – YOU, not “stuff” are in charge. At the end of the day, what matters is who you’ve BEEN, not what you’ve DONE.

That’s where the old saying about “eating the elephant one bite at a time” comes in handy. At the beginning of any project, the question is not, “What has to be done?” but “What do I need to do right now, today?” Taken one bite at a time, it’s true: Beginnings are seldom as complicated as they seem.







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© Maureen Killoran, SpiritQuest LLC, 2004 Maureen Killoran is a Life Coach and Unitarian minister, with a passion for helping people connect their strengths with their vision. Her work includes individual and group coaching, teleclasses, tele-support communities, and a free monthly e-zine. With graduate training in Life Coaching and positive psychology, Masters degrees in family sociology and divinity, and a doctorate in systems thinking, Maureen brings a breadth of experience and a lot of joyful energy to her intuitively-grounded practice. Check her out on line at www.spiritquest.ws

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