Lessons I Learned - While Taking Out The Garbage

I'm not a big fan of taking out the garbage. And for me, it's not a quick stroll to the street in front of the house. I live in the woods so it's a drive to get it out to where the company picks it up. But upon my last trip out to get the garbage to the road, I pondered about all the life lessons I could learn from this regular event.

Here is my list:

• In life, you have to do things you're not going to enjoy. You might as well get yourself mentally prepared, you're going to have to do things you don't like. Whether it's to discipline an employee or a child, or even a friend, they have to be done regardless and sometimes quite often! There will be trips you don't want to make, doctor visits you aren't going to want to do, exercising you'll need to implement in your life, and this list can go on and on.
• The weather isn't always going to be pleasant. One of my favorite quotes about life is an old Arabic proverb that states, "All sunshine makes a desert." And just like sometimes it's raining or cold, or muggy, that's just part of life.
• You hands are going to get dirty. But that's what they make soap for. Get dirty, and then clean yourself up.
• You have to pay for the service. There's no free...well, you already know that. There's a cost in everything you do, whether it's monetary, mental or physical, you're going to have to pay up. So make sure you're getting your best value and return in whatever you do. And, another thing is: you had to pay for all those items in your garbage. Some items end up there faster than others. The items were important, even necessary, at the time of purchase, yet here they are now. Our life decisions need to be taken in a similar context.
• Sometimes you make a mess. Have you ever had an accident getting the garbage to the road? The can tips over, or falls out of the truck, or you accidentally drop it? Garbage is strewn all over and it causes a huge "ding" in the can. If somehow you haven't yet, you're going to make a mess with something in your life too. And just like when you spilled the garbage, you'll get your life spill repaired and put it all behind you (but, like the ding in the can, you might create a scar for yourself as well). If you're smart, you'll learn what you did to cause the spill and take the appropriate steps to prevent its happening again.
• Sometimes you forget things. Did you ever wake up on garbage day and it dawned on you that you've forgotten to take "the can" out and now you'll have twice as much to deal with the next time? Ever forget anything else? We all have. You need to formulate your strategy for helping your remember chores, ideas, meetings, etc.
• Get someone else to help. Sometimes you're not around to carry the garbage out, but that's why you have family and friends that don't mind helping out. The key, though, is next time you're asked to help someone out with something you don't really want to do, remember that someone once carried your garbage out...I'm sure they weren't looking forward to that either.
• Renew. Occasionally, I'll discover a new "can" to use. Cool! And the same is true in life. Renew yourself constantly. Whether through an exercise program, adding an honest-to-goodness vacation week into your schedule, start a new book reading plan, join or recommit to a church or civic organization, etc. Renew your soul and fire your spirit up!

My question: Can you think of anything I missed?


[Note: photo from http://lakers.freedomblogging.com/]

“Your Success Is My Business.”™

pondering - "to think about : reflect on"

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