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Your "Someday" Could Be Today or Yesterday

It may be time to clean up the attic: Metaphorically and literally.

Featured Author:

Theresa-Maria Napa

Theresa-Maria “TM” Napa, owner of Right Track Coaching, is dedicated to helping professionals and executives increase their winning percentage while taking fewer steps and producing better results. Her varied career has included positions as executive assistant, vice president of operations, director of marketing & administration, and business owner. In these positions, TM gained substantial experience in leadership, marketing, client development, and executive coaching to high achievers. She writes for the Career Changers, Going Back to Work, and Going Back to School sections of WomenCo.

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More articles from this author:

• We're All Olympians In Life
• Blazing New Trails to a New Career
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One of the obstacles in deciding to go back to work, change careers or go back to school is the “someday stuff” we accumulate in our personal life, which hinders our getting on track professionally.

When I took stock of all the creative and household projects I’d accumulated, I realized it would take more than one lifetime to get them finished! My projects simply were going to outlive me. What is it about getting rid of piles of magazines left unread, trashing accumulated junk in drawers, donating clothes that haven’t been worn in years, and surrendering to letting go of projects waiting to get our attention that we allow to take up so much space in our environment and in our head filed under “someday”?

When I started to let go of my accumulated personal projects two years ago, I asked myself questions like:

• If I were moving, would I take this with me?

• Is this something I see myself completing and even something I want to complete?

• What is the cost to building my “bigger dream” by keeping this fill-in-the-blank?

• What is my priority?

• What is more important to my happiness?

At the same time I asked these questions, I would check my feelings about letting go or keeping. When the feeling lacked passion or desire, I would let it go. Admittedly the range of resistance varied when deciding which “someday” to release. Some were easier than others.

The letting go of my “somedays” was a gradual process. I had no idea of the magnitude of “somedays” I had in closets, in the basement, and containers. It wasn’t necessarily all cut and dry. For example, I gave away a box of knitting books I collected during my knitting days. I kept the needles – never know when I will want to get back to knitting.

Were there regrets? There were a couple of items that I wished I would have held on to; specifically, two dressage saddles. I am not sure if I will ever ride again. It has been more than ten years since my horse passed away. I have many fond memories of riding my beautiful Arabian horse, Gadez. My life has changed so much since then. Plus riding facilities are farther and farther from the city of Chicago. I think what bothers me most is that I was hasty in letting the saddles go. I didn’t ask the above questions, and it cost financially, since I gave them to an eBay trader who was unfamiliar with the value of the saddles. I believe if I would have been faithful to asking the above questions, I would have held onto the saddles and eventually sold them when I was emotionally ready. I am now over the regrets.

Gradually I let go of the past promises I made to myself regarding the “somedays.” Someday I was going to start up the kiln again to work on porcelain antique doll making. Someday I was going to wear those wonderful hats I had stored in hatboxes. Someday I was going to shorten slacks that were in the closet for several years – and also fit into them. Someday I was going to put together the beautiful candelabra fixture I had stored in the basement. You get the idea.