You Need Help
/Last month, I made a life changing decision.
I bought a second laundry basket.
“Really Erin? Life changing?”
Yes.
I mean, it’s not like it was expensive, or even hard to attain. I’d just been… avoiding it for some reason.
I’d tell myself I didn’t really need a second laundry basket. I’d done fine without ANY laundry basket for years, and now I have one. Did I really need a second?
I’d tell myself I was being lazy by wanting one, OR that I wasn’t lazy now, but if I got one it would open the door for me to not get things done.
I’d tell myself I was being ridiculous. Because in all honesty, laundry is the chore I hear people complain about that doesn’t bother me. (And don’t go starting in on the “just you wait until you have teenagers” nonsense. I’ve been cloth diapering almost consistently for the last three years…. I’ve got plenty of stinky laundry 😉).
But almost every time I did laundry, I’d yearn for a second receptacle. So I bit the bullet and bought the laundry basket.
Best three dollars I’ve ever spent.
My second basket allows me to:
Do laundry at naptime and switch around loads, even if I haven’t had time to fold the first load yet
Move laundry from the washer to the dryer much easier- even when wearing a sleeping (or almost sleeping!) baby!
Carry wet cloth diapers upstairs to hang out to dry- and leave EMPTY somewhere to remind myself to go get them (and then use it to get the clean, dry diapers)
Carry awkward loads like towels downstairs even when I have clean laundry in the other basket that needs to be folded
Bring in Costco groceries when my folding boxes are in the trunk of the other car…
And here’s the thing, I’m not one of those people that leaves laundry around that needs to be folded. Very rarely does my clean laundry sit anywhere for more than a couple hours (other than in the dryer!) without being folded and put away. And even then, if it’s sitting it’s generally because I’m dealing with a child situation and I know I’ll get to it later.
But still, this laundry basket has been an absolute game changer. And yet, it took months (okay, more than a year) before I bought the dang thing.
Why don’t we invest in the things we know would make our lives easier?
I ask that, because I know I’m not the only one who does this. There are items, services, or people who could make our lives easier, but we avoid it, or write it off completely.
Yes, I know my example was a laundry basket that cost less than $5. But this can be applied to SO. MANY. THINGS.
Another example from my real life? Physical Therapy.
Did I really want to invest the time and money into PT when in the grand scheme of things I’m pretty aware of my body and how it works? Nope.
Do I want my hips and pelvic floor working optimally even when I’m 80? Yup.
Am I an expert in assessing myself and giving myself the optimal therapy plan to make that happen? Not at all.
So I found a physical therapist. I’ll be the first to admit that the process took way longer than it needed to take. But I did it. I broke it into small tasks that felt more managable. I asked my OBGYN for a script. I looked up therapists my insurance covered. I called ONE therapist or center each day until I found the right match.
Yes, they were small steps. But every small step is a step forward, and now that I’ve had a handful of therapy sessions, I’m so grateful to myself for taking them.
The truth is, my therapist gave me a lot of exercises that I know and have even done in the past. But I don’t think it was a waste of time or money, because she brought to light WHY they were so important for me and specifically my individual postpartum recovery. Because of my background in fitness and health, I didn’t end up needing as many sessions as someone might who didn’t have my background. However, getting the help I needed was (you guessed it) game changing.
Where do you need help? What do you need help with? I’m going to cut to the chase. Asking for help can be hard. But it’s worth it.
This week I challenge you to get help in that one area. You know, the one you’ve had in the back of your mind for a while? Maybe it’s getting the neighbor kid to mow your yard, hiring someone to clean your house (windows, gutters, etc), or setting up a carpool or walking group so you don’t have to take the kids to school every morning.
Or perhaps it’s using a professional instead of trying to figure it out on your own (I could insert another story about getting my taxes done here, but I’ll save that for another time) or investing in an online course instead of googling a million different videos.
Maybe you’re like me and you just need a little guidance to make sure you’re going in the right direction. Or maybe you need help long-term.
Make a decision and ask for help. It’s worth it! You’ve got this
Psst!!! It would be straight up silly of me not to remind you that if you need help with your fitness or nutrition, that’s what I do! I’ve got a few spots open for both training and coaching clients; long-term or just a quick check-up. Click here for more information or to set up an inquiry call.