"Get to" rather than "Have to"
I wrote this on my blog:
https://jennreallyspeaking.wordpress.com/2015/10/31/get-to-rather-than-have-to/
Today is one of those Saturdays where I want very little more than to curl up on the couch with a blanket, my cat, a cup of hot chocolate, and play Final Fantasy. But, as always, chores and obligations need to be addressed. So to help myself along, I am employing a strategy introduced to be on Twitter by @LifeIsGood.
Instead of thinking, “I have to do this,” I’m changing it to, “I *get* to do this,” and taking a short moment to reflect on those implications.
“Get to” implies privilege, so how can you turn a chore into a privilege? It’s an exercise in appreciating your abilities, opportunities, as well as possessions.
For example, I need to get to empty the dishwasher and clean the currently dirty dishes. Why go I “get to”? Because it means I’ve been better about eating at home and not buying expensive and/or unhealthy food. Good for me! :) I also get to appreciate the pretty, sleek dishes that I bought at IKEA. I had been wanting those dishes literally for months, when I finally bought them about a month ago.
The appreciation can go as far as you need. I’m content to stop there, but I could also think about how my job pays well enough that I could afford to buy the dishes I wanted. Or even how I have a lovely apartment to keep my new lovely dishes in. (And I *do* love this apartment!) I could even address the fact that I’m physically capable of walking around and bending over to pick up the dishes. All these things!
I get to clean the cat box. Because I love my cat and he’s healthy. :-3 I get to make him a little more comfortable in exchange for all the mews and snuggles and purrs he gives me.
It’s amazing how a simple change to a single word can change your outlook. Give it a try sometime, and let me know how it works for you. <3
https://jennreallyspeaking.wordpress.com/2015/10/31/get-to-rather-than-have-to/
Today is one of those Saturdays where I want very little more than to curl up on the couch with a blanket, my cat, a cup of hot chocolate, and play Final Fantasy. But, as always, chores and obligations need to be addressed. So to help myself along, I am employing a strategy introduced to be on Twitter by @LifeIsGood.
Instead of thinking, “I have to do this,” I’m changing it to, “I *get* to do this,” and taking a short moment to reflect on those implications.
“Get to” implies privilege, so how can you turn a chore into a privilege? It’s an exercise in appreciating your abilities, opportunities, as well as possessions.
For example, I need to get to empty the dishwasher and clean the currently dirty dishes. Why go I “get to”? Because it means I’ve been better about eating at home and not buying expensive and/or unhealthy food. Good for me! :) I also get to appreciate the pretty, sleek dishes that I bought at IKEA. I had been wanting those dishes literally for months, when I finally bought them about a month ago.
The appreciation can go as far as you need. I’m content to stop there, but I could also think about how my job pays well enough that I could afford to buy the dishes I wanted. Or even how I have a lovely apartment to keep my new lovely dishes in. (And I *do* love this apartment!) I could even address the fact that I’m physically capable of walking around and bending over to pick up the dishes. All these things!
I get to clean the cat box. Because I love my cat and he’s healthy. :-3 I get to make him a little more comfortable in exchange for all the mews and snuggles and purrs he gives me.
It’s amazing how a simple change to a single word can change your outlook. Give it a try sometime, and let me know how it works for you. <3