My brain has its ways of getting ready for a trip. I do enjoy anticipation, but also I find it soothing to be "ready" as much as possible ahead of time. I make lists and check things off. I want to feel prepared.
Even though I don't leave until Thursday, and even though I went downstairs earlier today and brought things up, including the suitcase, to start getting my packing organized, my brain wants me to go down again and bring up other things.
My body says, nice try, pal, not doing the stairs again today. I have to go down each of the next three days for different things. That's plenty of opportunity for carrying.
If the elevator was working, I would probably have made two more trips down today. "I wonder where I put the..." and "I should also grab that..." and so on.
It doesn't need to be done today. My brain wants it to be. My body says no.
I'm listening to my body. Reluctantly. It feels like an itch that I can't scratch.
I relate to this feeling. Sometimes there's this invisible order to things, and it has tension to it even if it's not something anyone can see. Probably the closest thing for me is when I wake up and do all my normal routine things on a Saturday morning, and then I have to wait for my family to wake up and do all THEIR normal routine things before we can go do things together. Even though I know there's time, and I know they deserve to sleep in and start their day in a pleasant way, I get SO antsy. My brain tells me to chill out; my body says let's gogogo. (This is Suzanne.)
ReplyDeleteIt was such a strong feeling of conflict between the brain wanting to and the body saying no! It really was odd.
DeleteI hate the whole PreTrip thing: I incessantly worry over what to pack; I even think about Not Even Going (a lot); I fret about forgetting important things like meds and underwear. Do I make a list? No. No I do not. Don't ask me why.
ReplyDeleteYou're doing terrifically so far! And damn those stairs.
Thank you!
DeleteI used to wing it without a list, but these days I have different ones for if I'm checking a bag or not, and when I was in Mass. and drove to NY I had a driving one as well! It helps settle my brain down this way.
Booked a trip today and already I'm trying to plan what to pack for two months away.
ReplyDeleteI'm just really wishing I could help haul things up and down stairs for you.
I am usually really bad at the pre-trip anticipation. I absolutely HAVE to start getting ready many days ahead, even if the entire day before I leave is free and gives me plenty of time to pack. If my elevator was broken and prevented me from bringing up more things I would be a nightmare (how is your elevator STILL BROKEN?)
ReplyDeleteThe number of times I go over my lists and tweak them is frankly ridiculous, but it's what works for me.
DeleteAbout the elevator: I KNOW. HOW is it still not fixed?
I don't travel....but I absolutely love cats! Thank you for sharing, and warm greetings from a retired lady living in Montreal, Canada.
ReplyDelete