Winnie the Pooh and The One Thing

My son and I went to see the new Christopher Robin movie last night.  It was so much fun!  On the drive home, we talked and laughed while we went through all of our favorite parts.  And thoughts came to me… and I had to write this down.

I have been super busy this summer but this summer has given me so many lessons.  I’ve had business retreats, spiritual retreats, and leadership retreats.  I’ve listened (thanks Audible!) to several books and gotten so many things done.  All in all, I have been satisfied with how the summer has gone.  But last night I got a glimpse at how much better it could have been.

One of the books I’ve listened to is “The One Thing” by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan.  This was my second time listening to it.  I probably need to listen to it another couple of times.  I just purchased the hard copy so I can go through and underline and take notes in it.    It is one of those books that I know, if I can apply its lessons, it will change my life.

This summer, on one of my retreats, I was will my aunt (I think of her more like a big sister).  She is amazingly talented and she took the time to get away with me to help me get more organized with the conferences I do.  (She actually does this for other people too – Check her out at ActionGranted.com.) Anyway, one of the things she did with me was ask me to write down ten things that I felt were important for me to do and then she helped me put them in order of importance.  I was kind of surprised at what ended up as my one thing.  What is most important is writing the book I have inside my head and my heart.

This book is something that I’ve felt I need to get out in the world for a while now.  It tugs at me.  Always in the back of my thought.  I write little notes down while I’m driving because I keep getting ideas about it at the most inopportune times.  I’m going to start carrying around a notepad so that I don’t have all these little pieces of napkins and old receipts floating around.  I have a vision and a mission… but I’m having a hard time finding the time to see either of them through.

One of the things I’ve noticed recently about myself is that I have a really hard time relaxing.  I sit down to watch a TV show and I have to be doing something else.  I’m talking to my son or my husband and I’m thinking about what I need to do next.  My friend took me to get a massage for my birthday and I found myself fighting it the whole time!  I had to consciously tell myself the whole time, “relax, relax, relax…”  I kept tensing up thinking all about the other things I needed to do.  I loved the massage.  I’m going to have to do more of them.  Especially with the insight I got last night watching Winnie the Pooh.

The Christopher Robin movie is about what happens when Christopher grows up and is working and has pretty much forgotten about Pooh Bear.  He has also forgotten his “One Thing”.  His daughter is about to go away to boarding school and he isn’t taking the time to spend with her.  Somehow Pooh understands he needs to get to Christopher Robin.  Pooh can’t find his friends and thinks Christopher can help him.  He is a bear of very little brains, after all.  Actually, it is the other way around.

Sometimes it is the simplest things that can help the most.  Revisiting Pooh and his friends helped Christopher Robin remember how to play and helped him get out of his rut of working all the time.  It helped him figure out what his “One Thing” was and then make it a priority.

In the book, The One Thing, Keller and Papasan talk about how each time you are presented with a choice on how to use your time you should ask yourself, “What is the one thing I can do that will make the biggest difference in my life?”  They also suggest that you block out time so that you can spend quality time doing your “One Thing” on a regular basis.  As I said, this was the second time I’ve listened to this book.   I’ve heard this from multiple sources.  But Winnie the Pooh finally got me to listen.

I’ve been fighting making a schedule because I thought it would be too restrictive.  I wouldn’t have the flexibility I like and feel I need.  I feel like I have other pressing needs that have to get done now that are more important than my “One Thing”.  But how can it be my “One Thing” if I let everything else get in the way?

Yesterday morning, before I even thought about going to the movie, I grudgingly made a 24-hour schedule for myself.  Yes, I even scheduled when I was going to sleep.  I knew that I needed to make the time for my writing – whether it is for my blog or my book.  I have to start.  I have to make it a priority.  I don’t want it to slip away.  It is one of those things that I will always regret if I do.  I didn’t really like the idea of this schedule but I was determined that I had to figure out a way to make it work.

So, yesterday, my son suggested we go to the movie.  He and I have talked about going.  Pooh has always been a favorite of mine.  My oldest still loves Pooh (he is 24).  He can still sing all of the songs.  My youngest (the only one still at home) didn’t get as much exposure but still was interested.  I had just made my schedule and really needed to get some cleaning and organizing done that day so I made him a deal.  He could help clean and we would go to the movie.  I had scheduled “family time” at the end of the day, so we could just go then.

I worked hard all day long and got a lot done.  I was focused and knew that for that moment, this was the one thing that would make the biggest difference in my life.  I felt very tempted to put off my promise to my son about the movie and just keep cleaning and organizing (a never-ending job).  I had thrown in the caveat that if needed we would go to the movie the next day.  But no.  I had made my schedule just that morning, and, by golly, I was going to stick to it!

So we went to the movie.

At the movies, I have to turn my phone off.  I can’t do the dishes or pay the bills.  I have to just sit and watch the movie.  I was able to focus and be present and just enjoy the movie and my son.  I couldn’t fight my schedule. I could accept it.

Last night my son was my one thing.  Yes, I have a book that I have to write.  But my family is always more important.  But I haven’t been acting that way.  Just like Christopher Robin.

Winnie the Pooh is a bear of very little brain but a very big heart.  He helped me realize that I need to embrace my schedule and stop fighting it.  I thought that by being flexible I was able to meet more needs.  I could help more people.  I could get more done.  Just the opposite is true.  I need the structure of a schedule so that I can be present in the moment.  I can focus on my one thing.  I can take the time to laugh with my son without worrying about all the other things that I have to do.  I have scheduled a time to do those things.  And they will be my one thing then.

Winnie the Pooh played a simple game in the movie.  He just named what he saw going by outside.  It annoyed Christopher at first.  He wanted Pooh to be quiet because he was busy with his work.  Pooh may be a simple bear with simple games but I think he is brilliant!  He helped me see the importance of being present in every moment.  In that way I can make my current one thing – my book – happen.  But I don’t have to let my family – always my one thing – slip away.

Thank you Winnie the Pooh… you beautiful, wonderful, brilliant, and silly old bear!