Mon. May 16, 2022: Flexibility and Flow

image courtesy of lecreusois via pixabay.com

Apologies for not posting last Monday; last week was a true encapsulation of Mercury Retrograde and the tech issues it so often brings. I had computer issues all week, between a 14-hour Windows11 Update that then threw everything else out of whack, and then having to update/uninstall/reinstall McAfee. Once things were up and running, there were days where it took a full hour to get the computer booted up and running.

On a tech level, it was a highly frustrating week.

However, since I’d cleared off a bunch of deadlines and was waiting new assignments from a client that didn’t arrive, I used the time to focus on non-tech things around the house that needed attention.

Normally, I would have been in front of the computer, raging and crying. This time, I kept setting it to do what it said it needed to do, and then went off to take care of other things, checking back in on its progress every now and again.

I was lucky to have the flexibility to do so, and I’d worked ahead so as not to have any deadlines hanging over me when the retrograde hit. Although I’d expected a bunch of client work during the week that didn’t arrive, I had the flexibility not to have a meltdown.

Which made for a much more positive week, all around.

While I’m behind where I’d hoped to be on a couple of creative projects (which are still fine, deadline-wise), I could use the tech down time to do other things that needed doing, instead of having to make alternate tech arrangements in order to meet deadlines. And it was a good thing I didn’t need to use the computers at the library – they were all down having update issues as well.

Somehow, it all worked out, and with less stress than I’ve usually had in these situations. I was still frustrated by the issues and delays, but it did not cause a meltdown. I could pivot to other parts of my life that needed the attention and work on them, without feeling like I had to control which block of time it fit into. It goes back into what I’ve talked about before, matching the best energy to each task.

Of course, we still have three more weeks of Mercury Retrograde, and anything can happen. I have no intention of being smug and complacent. But I also want to take what I’ve learned from this past week, about approaching the frustrations differently and responding to them differently, and applying it moving forward.

It made me realize, yet again, how well the freelance life suits me. I had the room to be flexible and flow with things that were out of my control, instead of having to find a way to work around them to meet commitments to others. It was also a reminder that when I do not procrastinate, when I work ahead of deadline, I take off a lot of pressure in case of last-minute obstacles.

It would have taken a lot longer to set up the front porch and back balcony as enchanted gardens if I was only allowed to spend an hour or so working on them, instead of devoting large blocks of time. And the result was worth it – we now have two lovely spaces to enjoy all summer (and where I can also work).

What’s the point of this post? In previous times, I would have been so overbooked and overwhelmed that I felt I had to control the situation in order to meet the schedule I’d set for myself. I’m slowly learning that I don’t need to do that. I can find ways to meet my deadlines without overbooking/overscheduling and feeling as though every and any obstacle is going to destroy me.

The latter is a much healthier way to live, and offers more room for happiness.

How do you flow when you’re met with obstacles?