Between lots to do at work, a girlfriend who’s trying to move countries, and the organization of all things and people tied to trading one flat for another, my head has been so full lately, it can barely hold on to the countless to-do lists I have set up, let alone the items that are on them, no matter how well-maintained they might be. Our brains have limits, and so do our senses. There’s only so much change you can consciously process on a daily basis, only so many to-dos you can remember, and even fewer you can actually complete.
Whenever I wake up in the middle of the night, frantically realizing that, “Oh my god, we’ll need induction-compatible pots and pans!” I do make a note, but, more importantly, I try to remember: “Later” rarely means “too late.” If I completely forgot about induction cookware, and it only dawned on me again while standing in front of our new stovetop, I’d shrug and then order some for next-day delivery — not ideal, but far from the end of the world.
The things that are both important and urgent are far and few between. As long as you show up for the big swings, the rest can happen tomorrow, next week, or two quarters from now, and life will go on just the same.
It’s okay to forget things, even to lose your head sometimes. People understand. It happens to them too. Give yourself credit for all the stressful days on which it remains square on your shoulders, and whenever it doesn’t, just pick it back up and flow on. Tomorrow is another day, and, usually, “later” is not “too late.”