About a year ago, someone gave me the gift of a lovely little memo book encased in silver. It has a red leather front and silver pen that clasps the notebook shut. Yes, I’m organized, so I put it in a small drawer in my office that holds my reasonable collection of note pads. (I regularly have one that is active to hold all my notes and action items.) This one for me was unique, so I wanted to wait until I had the perfect purpose for it.
Until then, I kept it in the drawer.
The other evening I was pleased when a purpose arose and I remembered the little red notepad. I’d been inspired by a client, who always keeps a pad and pen by his bedside to record thoughts and action items while decompressing from the day. As per David Allen, the productivity genius behind Getting Things Done, it is best to get those thoughts out of your head to free your mind to be more productive, or in this case, to have a restful sleep.
The notebook looked nice on my bedside table and I felt happy I had waited until I found the perfect use for it! But, alas, I had waited too long. After using it to write down a few items, the tiny silver pen was out of ink and was useless! I broke one of the many lessons I share with my clients: Use your stuff! If you keep it, make it active to serve you now because: everything has a shelf life.
The little pen,
Those shoes,
That electronic device,
You, me,
The planet…
Everything.
So use it. enjoy it. Especially if it’s beautiful and makes you happy. When you find yourself putting something aside to “save beautiful things for just the right moment,” ask yourself, “why isn’t just the right moment right now, today?”
If you being amazing is not a good enough reason (which of course it is), as ever let me remind you of the planet. Some natural resources went into the making of that little silver pen.. only to dry up and be wasted. You see, no one was served. Not the planet, not me, not good karma energy to the people who worked hard on the factory line (probably in China) to produce that pen. No one. sigh.
So, go on now, go… take a bath and use those bubble bath salts you have been saving. Use that good china tonight! Don’t wait for the holidays. Make sure your beautiful stuff is active. Serving you. Now.
Or pass it on to someone who will. For the planet’s sake.
A.K.A at BALANCE: turning matter into energy.