until you see that “enjoying something” is a choice, it won’t be

Happy Home Life Tip #35

Our brains are naturally programmed to look for danger, for “what’s gone wrong”.

This often leads to feeling upset, frustrated, anxious, or overwhelmed.

I get that!   

Today I have a roofer rebuilding our chimney, two guys digging a foundation, and two guys tearing apart parts of our old barn. It’s loud, messy and chaotic.

We’ve been renovating our c.1772 Vermont farmhouse for more than a year now.  Intellectually, I know my husband and I can’t do it all ourselves, and we’re lucky to find people who are available and willing to work, but on days like today my brain is not happy.

The workers come at the crack of dawn, use our tools, blare music I’d never choose, leave gates open that endanger our dogs and farm animals, drop nails everywhere, walk in the house at all hours, block the driveway, bring their own dogs without asking, and make building mistakes—which put us in the awkward position of deciding what to say to them and what we ask them to redo.

But as a life coach, I know it’s possible to deliberately choose to enjoy this.  

To see it as progress…

or not so bad,

or a good photo-op,

or one step closer to being done,

or a bonding experience with my husband,

or a great future story,

or socialization for our pups,

or even humorous.

I can deliberately re-focus my brain and choose to enjoy this day.

I’m working on it…

Hugs,

Krista