March 2021 – Unforeseen. Unexpected. Unpredicted. Sudden. Unanticipated. Unprecedented. Abrupt.

Over the last 12 months, these words have frequented my vocabulary more than I care to admit. I’m the kind of person who plans her driving route on errand day … to avoid backtracking between stops which results in wasted time. This is how much I CRAVE productivity and order in my life.

Because I loathe inefficiency, all of the planning, unplanning, and replanning, over the last year has almost made me crazy. Yet, the upside is that I think I’ve become more flexible, more creative in my approaches to problem solving, and maybe a tiny bit more patient (maybe not …. patience is still a work in progress).

A few weeks ago I woke up to a water infiltration in my home – caused by an ice dam on the roof. As I write this, my dining room has a big hole cut into the ceiling and a section of my bedroom wall has been taken down to the studs. I am told repair is still several months away due to the potential of it happening again during the spring thaw.

Prior to the pandemic, waking up to a surprise like this would have been devastating and a total derailment in my orderly life. Since 2020-21 has provided me with so much practice in navigating many unpleasant surprises, I’m rolling with it. Maybe it’s an opportunity for a décor refresh?!

Although I am still several months away from having the calm serenity of my bedroom back and restored order to my workday, I am choosing to NOT sweat the small stuff.

A member of my team told me this story that will probably stick with me forever …. She said she has a friend who has recently retired and refers to herself as a ‘recovering perfectionist’. I’m ready to join that support group. Who’s with me?