Every Little Thing by April Jeppson

 

Update from last week. We successfully removed 10 bags of stuff from our house! Well actually we removed eight — I’m currently staring at two bags that I still need to donate. I’m sure they will sit here for another week and then I’ll bring them out to my van where they will remain for another two to four weeks. Please tell me I’m not the only one who requires a month to actually bring my stuff to the Salvation Army. I can’t be alone in this.

So, besides the impending trip to donate our clothes, I feel pretty good. The bags we got rid of consisted of kids old school papers, used coloring books, shoes and clothes that were too worn to be regifted, bags and boxes in the kitchen cupboards that only had one-fourth cup of crushed cereal or crackers in them — just so much junk that was taking up space, precious space in my home as well as precious space in my mind.

Being surrounded by clutter and unfinished projects actually clutters my mind. About 20 years ago I took the The Myers-Briggs Personality Test, one of the best and (in my opinion) most accurate of the personality tests out there. It breaks down into 16 types, based off of four different categories. For instance, if you are introverted or extroverted. I am an ENFP, extrovert, intuitive, feeling and perceiving. I will literally talk about this all day if you let me — but I digress.

When I originally took the test, I found it interesting, but I was young and never gave it much thought. Being in the workplace, dealing with different personality types and learning how to best deal with myself, I’ve found this test to be a good resource for me. Recently, I’ve done some more research on my type to maybe shed some light on why I do what I do. Like, why don’t I just organize my mail when it comes in like most people do? Well here’s what I’ve learned.

I like fun, exciting and new. I thrive in these environments. Starting a project excites me! Finishing a project — not so much. My personality doesn’t do so well with mundane day-to-day tasks. Reading these bits about myself felt refreshing. There in fact is nothing wrong with me. I’m wired this way. Does this excuse me to have a messy house and never finish projects? No. Does this provide me some grace towards myself? Yes. Knowing that my brain is wired a certain way allows me to see my shortcomings and then I can try to find practical solutions for it.

Will my house ever be as orderly as my friend with the more organized brain? Probably not, and I’m OK with that. I don’t do well in super structured environments because I don’t consider it fun. This is very eye opening. It allows me to be conscious of this fact. It forces me to be aware of what I’m doing and how it affects my surroundings. It pushes me to think, “I don’t want to do this because it’s boring, but I need to do this because that’s what needs to get done.” So even though folding laundry or sorting mail is the worst, I can be aware of that fact and do it anyway.

I have lots of awesome attributes — characteristics that many people wish they had. Being orderly and consistent just aren’t some of them. I’m OK with that. I know that with practice and conscience effort, I can improve. This fact excites me. And an excited April is a motivated April.

Albert Lean April Jeppson is a wife, mom, coach and encourager of dreams.