I just returned from a long anticipated 2-week trip to Korea. It was a wonderful trip – I could have stayed for two more weeks! My son was born in Korea so the first ten days were spent with a tour organized by AdopteeBridge and the remainder was on our own.
In preparation, I needed gifts for 10 people (with coordinated gift wrap) and a donation for an orphanage. There were a number of other things to plan for, but these were the items that did not have specific boundaries. For example, I needed travel adaptors – so I bought them and checked them off my list, but gifts could be anything! And once purchased, was it enough? Should I get more?
I found myself stressing about finding perfect gifts for total strangers. I continually wanted to add more things to the orphanage donation. In reality, I could not control my son's experience, but I could control this. Perhaps if I got the PERFECT gifts the trip would be equally perfect!
Eventually, I said "Enough!" and stopped shopping. I recognized that regardless of what I brought, the gifts would have no impact on the things that really mattered. I had purchased nice, appropriate items. Achieving perfection, when I did not know the recipients, was not possible, so I should stop trying.
Where else do I try to control things too much? Where else does my mind and time get sucked into a rabbit hole? And what merits all that time and concern and what does not? Some things merit our full concentration, but other things don't. My son's health and education merit my complete attention, but my garden tools...if they are disorganized it won't have any significant impact on my life (I am just a hobbyist, not a serious gardener.)
What is really important to you and what, while it would be nice if it was perfect, doesn't have to be? Where is 'done' better than 'perfect'? In what areas can we give ourselves a break so we have more energy for the things that matter?
This is part of the orphanage donation, I took full advantage of the clearance racks at Target too!