Procrastination
by Marie T.
Russell
 Things are sure coming to the surface lately.
It seems that issues we have managed to avoid for years are now rearing their
heads to be faced. Our way of dealing with reality, or in some cases of avoiding
dealing with reality, come back to haunt us.
Procrastination has been a biggie for me. My
most common procrastination 'case' has been the avoidance of situations that I
didn't consciously know how to resolve. Rather than face the problem, go within,
and find a solution, I have, like the ostrich, stuck my head in the sand. In
instances when it involved telling someone something I felt they would not like
to hear, I put it off to avoid what I feared would be an unpleasant
confrontation.
I have procrastinated until either the situation was in the past
and forgotten (I hoped) or, more likely, until it came to a head, exploded, and
could not be put off any longer. In other cases, the task at hand seemed so
boring or unpleasant, that I delayed taking action and let it pile up. (i.e.
filing, washing dishes, cleaning up, doing laundry, etc.)
Unfortunately, I have found that
procrastination does not make the situation easier, as I hoped it might have. On
the contrary, when we delay dealing with something, whether it is something as
material as filing, or something as intangible as 'unresolved situations'
between people, time only serves to compound the error.
In most of the situations that have reached
crisis proportions, I had delayed communication on specific issues because my
personality self did not want to be in an uncomfortable situation. Yet what
might have started as a small problem can boil up to a major confrontation
because it was not dealt with at the beginning. The wound festers and eventually
must be dealt with.
So again, it becomes obvious that
procrastination does not serve at all. We need to face the issues that come up
in our lives as they come up. If we avoid dealing with them, the universe will
simply keep bringing up the same or similar situations, each time a little bit
more intensely, until we face whatever it is we need to face.
In order to uproot this habit, we need to
take a closer look at its cause. After all, procrastination is only a symptom or
manifestation of something else. What then is the root cause of procrastination?
As I sift through the occurrences where I have postponed what I could have dealt
with right then, I see that though the justifications (excuses) are numerous,
the cause is one.
I find that procrastination has to do with
believing that I do not know how to deal with something or someone. Yet that
boils down to lack of trust in myself, and lack of trust in my Higher Self and
the Higher Self of others. When we trust completely in a Higher Power, we are
aware that we can always harmoniously work out situations that come up to our
awareness. We can tap in to our inner power and the right path will be revealed.
We can choose to put away doubt and fear, and walk hand in hand with our Higher
Self, the inner teacher, and the Universal Power. The guidance is always there,
the inner voice of truth is always whispering to us and showing us the direction
to take.
When we silence the confusing voices of fear,
justification, procrastination, judgment, and anger, whether outer or inner
directed, we can hear Higher Self leading us to a path of joy, love, and peace.
Trusting, acting, and speaking with love and trust in the Ultimate Good will
bring us peace within and with our neighbors.
If a situation is present in your life, you
have the inner resources to resolve it. You can choose to look forward to
finding what messages and wisdom these situations and people are bringing you,
or you can procrastinate. Delaying looking at them only delays the discovery of
the gift they bring.
 Recommended book:
This Isn't Exactly What I Had In Mind, God -
How to get your life back on
course
by Hal Larson.
A well-crafted and easy-to-follow road map to a purposeful and
fulfilling life. Each
chapter details how ancient wisdom can help the reader shed childhood
habits and ideas that retard personal growth thus converting problems
into opportunities.
Info/Order
book
 About The Author
Marie
T. Russell is the founder of InnerSelf Magazine (founded 1985). She also
produced and hosted a weekly South Florida radio broadcast, Inner Power, from
1992-1995 which focused on themes such as self-esteem, personal growth, and
well-being. Her articles focus on transformation and reconnecting with our own
inner source of joy and creativity.
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