I wish I could remember where I heard this quote, but it’s been on my mind lately.
When you’re eating an orange, eat an orange.
Or in this case, a mandarin.
It’s about focus.
My brain is a funny place. I feel like there’s a big merry-go-round spinning right in the middle of it. Some of the horses are on fire, and others are shrouded in mist. Some are dull – with chipping paint and sad eyes – while others are shiny and bright and ready to spring. But it’s not all GIDDY UP and go. There are abandoned cobwebs in the corners too. (Which is clearly where my purse/keys/wallet often end up).
When I wake up the horses are there, spinning, and they’re still there when I go to sleep, which is why I need to occupy my brain with fiction and Downton Abbey. (Gah. I just read what I wrote and I may sound like a crazy person. SPINNING HORSES. But there it is.)
I feel like my brain is working overtime, and I’m trying to calm it. I don’t think I’m doing myself any favours by multitasking either. Multitasking decreases focus and chips away at my attention span. I used to think multitasking was awesome. I was so efficient! Getting so much done! Go go go! But I’ve come to realize that it’s not good. When my brain is supposed to be resting it bubbles up. And heaven forbid if I’m in a forced resting situation, like standing in line at the airport. It’s almost painful.
So what’s a gal to do?
I have to bring my focus back somehow and do one thing at a time until it is completed… and slow down that merry-go-round. Hence the orange. When I’m peeling an orange, filling up the watering can, brushing my teeth, or walking the dog, I am trying harder than ever to focus on the task at hand. It has been a challenge. When I was peeling the orange in the photo above I actually ran to grab my camera and take the photo for this blog post. Sigh. I guess it’s two steps forward and one step back, right? Please tell me I’m not alone!
