Gratitude and a Do-Over!
Can you have a copious amount of gratitude for a “Do Over”?
Children do this all the time. If something does not turn out the way they want, they yell, “Do Over!” Do you remember playing Kick Ball in the road? You get a bad kick… What do you do? You yell, “Do Over!” The other team complains a little, but you get another chance. This was a frequent event not only in Kick Ball, but in just about everything children do!
So why then, do adults have such a hard time saying, “Do Over!” Your business not work out the way you wanted? “Do Over!” Did you buy a car that you realized that you did not like? “Do Over!” How about accepting a job that turned out to be something that you were not expecting? “Do Over!” Or my favorite… You write a blog entry that no one comments on… “Do Over!”
There is no need to hem and haw as an adult! Think about it. As a child, who made the rules? The ADULTS! Now we are adults, we can make the rules. Why don’t we? Why don’t we say “Do Over” more often?
Sure there are “reasons”; we can “rationalize” anything. You cannot call “Do Over” at your new job! You have to be a martyr and stick it out – earn a paycheck (even if you do not like your job???). This is crazy! Did you business “fail”? Who says you cannot start another one. I can hear the average person, “You were not successful at your own business. You cannot try it again!” Why not? Did you stop trying to tie your shoelaces the first time it did not work out? What if your parents stopped you from walking after you fell down the first 100 times!
Come on… If something does not work out today, call “Do Over!” and try it again!
Be Well.
Thanks for this reminder. =D
I recently was reminded of this practice by a friend who uses it all the time with her kids. I had not remembered it when my kids were young but can certainly see the value of using the idea at any age, and for any circumstance. I think the key is to implement it early on. Us grownups can get ourselves into deep dodo way to quick when we are afraid or think that we can’t back out or start over. Thanks for the reminder. I love your emails. I really believe that Gratitude is key and akin to God’s Grace.
This is a fun reminder. I grew up before “do overs,” and have watched with a smile as my grandchildren draw on this rule many times. I can’t remember how many times I have committed to something and wished later I hadn’t whether it’s a new car I really didn’t want to buy or a visit to someone I really didn’t want to spend time with but as an “adult” I feel I always have to follow thru with the committment. Thank you for giving me permission to call for a “do over.” You are so perceptive; I do many my own rules and I can enforce or change them as I wish—if I’m prepared to live with the consequences. But it’s still my choice and it’s always wonderful to remember that I have choices and options in life. Thank you.
E
@Donna – Sometimes it is much easier (and better) to start over! No need to beat yourself up!
@Esther – There is a fine line knowing when between throwing in the towel vs. starting over. Commitment is important and certain actions need to have follow through even when it is uncomfortable (it was comfortable falling all the time when we were learning to walk, but we stuck with it!). The key is to have the knowledge, the experience, and the wisdom to know when it is OK to yell, “Do Over!”. Thanks!
I loved Donna’s comment about gratitude being akin to God’s grace. It brought to mind a time when I was basically bed-ridden for a year. My children had to help me do everything; my son would come into my bedroom every day from middle school and tell me everything that had happened. I can remember being grateful for my children every day because I really couldn’t imagine how I would have functioned without them and my son brought life to me when I couldn’t go out easily and experience it myself.
I think in some ways I was more vigilant about practicing gratitude then but as I look back I think how blessed I was that I could be grateful during such a physically hard time,