The frustration and the promise of What Next?

What Next? has become an elephant in my pantry. As Prof Guy Claxon wrote:

THE KEY QUESTIONS OF LIFE (AND DEATH)

- WHAT DO I NEED?

- WHAT ACTIONS COULD I PERFORM?

- WHAT DO CIRCUMSTANCES ALLOW?

SO... WHAT'S THE BEST THING TO DO NEXT?

I often feel that I want to DO something. I mostly feel that I SHOULD do something. And God knows, there are plenty of things that need doing, from day-to-day duties and obligations to household chores and things that need fixing to grand aspirations, hopes and plans.

But all too often I have no idea what What's Next is.

Or I have an idea, but no clue how to begin.

Or I sort of know how to begin, but the steps are hazy.

Or I get stuck on one of the steps — not even a big one.

Or I get discouraged early, and self-doubt creeps in.

Or I get distracted by other, more urgent things.

Or I find myself reaching for small, easy rituals that I know how to do but don't really deal with the elephant — Spelling Bee, doing my accounts, making a cup of tea — the quick wins.

Sometimes I have a regular easy What Next that I can do and feel good about: every morning meditation (get up, sit on the cushion, close eyes, do nothing): an evolving trumpet practice routine that's still daunting but yielding results when I actually do it.

For a while I thought the What Next issue was just me, but I have discussed it with a few people. "Yeah, you should do something with that" they all said. (Really, all of them.) So now I have another lot of What Next to deal with!