On Life: I cannot do everything, but I can do something

"I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And I will not let what I cannot do interfere with what I can do." ~Edward Everett Hale

"We cannot do everything at once, but we can do something at once." ~Calvin Coolidge

Do you ever feel paralyzed by work and personal deadlines facing you? What helps you out of those funky moods? Inspirational quotes seem to do the trick for me.

I just came back from a summer of travelling on work and family business and woke up this morning feeling overwhelmed because I do not seem to be making as much progress as I'd like on the work projects and personal life goals that need my attention. My husband came over and asked me how I was feeling and I replied, "Everywhere I look, every aspect of both my work and personal life is demanding so much of my time that, for once, I don't know where to begin."

He asked, "Do you have any control over these things?" And I said, "Very little. They're all important. They each deserve my undivided attention. And there's so much to be done in each of them that I don't know if my efforts will make any difference." He smiled and as he did the lights went on in my head and I replied, "I get it! I can do the little I have the power to do in each of these work projects and life goals...and as I complete the little that I can do, the windows will open just a bit wider and I'll see that I have a little more control over what to do next in those areas. But this will only happen after I've done what I can to begin with."

So ...I googled the part of the quote I remembered so well from days gone by, "I cannot do everything but I can do something," and Edward Everett Hale's quote came up. I realize he was probably talking about doing things that would change the world for the better. But that's what I consider a job well done to accomplish. So I'm applying that quote as well as a similar one by Calvin Coolidge to my life. I've decided they'll be my mantra, my key to successfully getting done what needs to get done by me this week as I work to complete:

a book contract with a publisher,

maintaining the various websites I manage

assisting on a graduate level curriculum project,

rendering streaming audio/video talks to the university web site I manage,

work on my middle grade novel, and

continue to exercise and eat healthier

Here's to Hale and Coolidge's inspirational quotes motivating me to do my best this week with the time I have been given to get my work done.

What's your key to getting unstuck and getting moving on what needs to be done in your own life and work? Write and tell me about it!