Procrastinators Anonymous is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from chronic procrastination.

Disappointments, frustrations, and procrastination

25 November, 2010 - 11:46pm - is6524

Well, today is Thanksgiving.  I fear my thoughts have not been very thankfully oriented. 

This morning I got up for the 7:30 phone bridge, but no one was there.  I guess I had misunderstood what had been said.  I thought they said it would meet, but evidently they said it would not meet.  Disappointment.

Then I had Thanksgiving with the family of a close friend who was just admitted into a D&A treatment center.  Because of the schedule required for going to visit her, we ended up having our Thanksgiving meal at Waffle House.  Disappointment and frustration.

And so the day continued until now.  A friend I invited over at 7 arrived at 9 (when I was beginning to get ready for bed), messed up my kitchen again making food (I would not cook at that late hour), and took over my living room, turning the TV on and not engaging with me at all.  Finally, I have come upstairs and started writing this, feeling very angry - AT MYSELF for not being more assertive.  Disappointment, frustration, and anger.

I have used these negative emotions all day to deter me from productive work, got sidetracked on meaningless activity, did not exercise, and have not worked on my PA stuff.  And so, one more clue of how unmanageable my life has become.  

I came across a post here from October 27, 2010, about Step 1 which said "We recognize it is time to move from crisis mode to a prevention mode," and another which said "motivation follows action."  I now realize that today, on the day focused on gratitude, I have focused on negativity and self-pity. 

SO

I am going downstairs, tell my friend to leave, spend some time realeasing to God, and go to bed. Tomorrow is another day and another chance to handle disappointments and frustrations without procrastinating.

 

 

 

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to is6524 re: Thanksgiving

movingalong - 28 Nov 2010 - 10:12am

Hello.

FYI, there WAS a 7:30 AM EST phonebridge meeting on Thanksgiving Day. I arrived at the tail-end of it. I don't know what exact time it started, but it had been going for a while by the time I arrived. Perhaps you arrived before the others?

One thing that helps me when I get caught up in frustration ... is ... comedy. I think of a silly joke, or I read the comics, or I watch something silly (with a timer for a short while). Humor helps me find perspective. 

I also ask Higher Power for inspiration on how to encourage myself.

Blessings,
-- movingalong

To movingalong RE: Thanksgiving

is6524 - 4 Dec 2010 - 1:09am

Thanks for those suggestions.  I had forgotten about the power of laughter and I needed that reminder. 

My attitude, not my circumstances, was my problem that day and it kept me from being willing to turn to my HP for support and guidance.  Part of me wants to get down on myself for that, and part of me is saying what is the point of wasting good energy after bad? It happened.  Own it, admit it to someown (which I did on this forum), and move on (which I am striving to do).

Regarding the phone bridge - I just don't know what I did wrong.  Somehow, I may have dialed the wrong number, come at the wrong time, who knows; but it is somehow encouraging to learn that there actually was a meeting that morning.  Thank you very much for clarifying that for me.

One other tool that I have used successfully recently, but seem to have forgotten about in the past couple of weeks, is to ask myself, "What will this matter in 5 minutes, 5 days, or 5 years?"  I am committing now to consistently use humor and/or this question over the next 24 hours to manage my negative thoughts.  (Then, I'll go for the next 24 hours, and so forth.)

Thanks, movingalong, for taking the time to respond to my post.

 

 

(is6524) on Thanksgiving

firefly - 26 Nov 2010 - 2:06am

Hey is6524,  sounds like it was a lousy day.  But it also sounds like you have made a positive, proactive decision for this evening--good for you. 

Gratitude is difficult in the midst of dissapointments, but I find it a helpful tool to shift my attitude,  It takes practice, and most importantly awareness of my need for a change in attitude.

Here's another one that I find helpful:  Expectations are premeditated resentments.

Gratitude

is6524 - 27 Nov 2010 - 11:10pm

Thanks for that reminder about the power and place for gratitude.  I have experienced amazing results inside and out when I embrace gratitude and let go of expectations (and their ensuing resentments).  I so appreciate the thoughtful redirection in those areas.  Today has been better; nothing went as planned, but I am not bummed by it, and I was successful in accomplishing some movement - even though I COMPLETED nothing.