What does cheap toilet paper have to do with goals?

My hubby and I have offices at separate corners of the basement. I have prime location - which is to say that I am close to the bathroom. When the pandemic first started we had to forego our beloved thick, soft luxurious Charmin, simply because it was nowhere to be found. Desperate, we bought whatever we could find.

Eventually, the Charmin reappeared on the shelves and all was well again - at least in the upstairs bathroom.

We still had a pack of the cheapest TP I think I have ever seen. We couldn’t waste it, after all, it had once been such a precious commodity. It seemed wrong to just discard it, so the once coveted (but now somewhat shunned) TP was put in the downstairs bathroom.

I don’t think I thought that through. As the sole female in the house, I am the prime user of both the downstairs bathroom AND the toilet paper. I am not even a little kidding when I say that I can literally SEE THROUGH this TP. Well it won’t last long, I thought to myself. The thing is that it is so freaking thin that even after wrapping it around and around my hand (each and every time), the roll NEVER seems to get any smaller.

Today, I met my hubby in the workout room and I mentioned this all to him (again). He is no stranger to how to I feel about the TP downstairs. He has been hearing about it for quite some time (refer back to how the roll NEVER gets any smaller). My husband is a good listener. He also cares very much that I am happy, so after he listens, he says, “Oh, I meant to switch that out for you.”

Wait, WHAT!!??

I told him, “Don’t you dare switch out that TP. I have been working on this roll for so long, it is a matter of principle. It is a battle that I plan to win.”

I have a goal and I have the skills to obtain that goal. I dream of the day that I use the last square of the translucent TP, earning the privilege of replacing it with my beloved Charmin.

As a Professional Coach, I know this story could have gone another way. It could have instead looked something like this:

[Rewind a bit]

My husband is a good listener. He also cares very much that I am happy, so after he listens, he says, “Oh, I meant to switch that out for you.”

Wait, WHAT!!??

OMG, why didn’t I think of that? This TP is causing me so much pain & agony (first world problems, I know) and ALL I HAD TO DO WAS SWITCH IT OUT.

Whether we decide to pursue goals that seem super difficult (almost impossible) or simply notice and remove the thorns in our side matters not AS LONG AS WE ARE CONSCIOUS OF OUR CHOICE(s).

Awareness is everything.

What one little change could you make in your life today that would cause so much joy in return? Seriously, take a deep breath RIGHT NOW and ask yourself that question. I would love to hear what comes up.

In the meantime, I plan to be the one who uses the very last square.

Wishing you always the very best.

Love & Light - Brenda