Two Weeks! (Still Counting)

The countdown continues as the date of my departure for Australia creeps closer and closer. I am excited to say many of the anxieties I shared last week in this post are no longer keeping me awake at night. OK – let’s be honest. Nothing, aside from my upstairs neighbor’s obnoxious alarm clock going off at 4:00 AM, keeps me up at night. But trip logistics have caused their fair share of daytime worry. Needless worry as it turns out.

I forgot to have faith last week when I was stressed about wheelchair chargers, packing my apartment, and sending thank you notes. I forgot how people often come forward to help others when they hear of concerns or troubles. When you are brave enough to ask for help, and admit you can’t do it all on your own, amazing things happen. But they never happen if you don’t ask and allow others to help you.

Thanks to some phone calls made by my host father in Tasmania, I will have use of a wheelchair charger to safely charge my chair during my time on the island. I still have to secure one for the two days in Sydney, but it will happen.

Half of my possessions are now packed in boxes throughout my apartment courtesy of my sister Sandy, some friends and my Personal Assistants. A friend’s sister recently moved back to New York from Alaska and graciously let me use her sturdy boxes. Saturday I got rid of half of my summer clothes. A short woman with generous hips will go into the local charity shop and she will love finding the cute skirts I used to wear.

Yes, I still have lists of tasks to complete over the next thirteen days. There are still boxes to be packed. And I am still trying to coordinate visits with all the people I hope to see during my two weeks in Australia.

But I have rediscovered my faith, and I have stopped worrying. I am reminding myself daily how many friends, family and strangers have come together to make this trip a reality. Ten months ago when I received the invitation to return to Tasmania, I had plenty of faith. I don’t know how I lost it last week. I think I know how I got it back:

1.  Gratitude lists.

I wrote about them on Friday. They have always helped me focus on the positive. I have been making them a part of each day once again.

2.  Remembering I need to stop trying to control each and every little thing.

This one is difficult for me. Many areas in my life are out of my control, in the hands of the others I depend on. I tend to compensate by trying to control as much as I can. I’ve been working on this for years. I still have plenty of work to do.

3.  Prioritizing my limited energy.

As much as I would like to accept every invitation, I have to recognize I have a limited amount of physical strength each day. It is up to me to decide how I spend that precious energy. Right now, I am fighting a cold because I CANNOT get sick! I have to be a little selfish and spend my energy on staying healthy and completing what matters most to me.

The countdown continues, and my outlook is much more positive than it was a week ago. Thirteen days to departure!