Clear The Cutlery

 Clear The Cutlery 

Our dishwasher at home recently stopped working. We are in the process of getting quotes to either get it fixed or buy  a new one, but in the meantime we’re washing all our dishes by hand. I’ll never not appreciate a dishwasher again. 


I’m sure you all know that feeling when you’ve had a big meal, you really enjoyed it, your belly is full and satisfied and THEN you reenter the kitchen and see the carnage. The mess.


I had a flashback last night to being a young teenager where my Mam would yell from the kitchen “can you come wash these dishes please?!” and I would respond “I’M WATCHING SISTER SISTER, I’LL DO IT AFTER”. But of course, my mother would succeed in that battle. 


Back then, I found a trick that would make it less overwhelming. Clear the cutlery! Right now, picture the pots and pans and plates and bowls and glasses everywhere. Now add bits and pieces of silverware and utensils scattered all around and in between. I found that if I would pick up all pieces of silverware and put them together in one pile it immediately makes the mess feel more tidy and therefore manageable. 


Being reminded of that memory this week made me immediately think of it as a metaphor. When life gets overwhelming or your to-do list is too large and you feel like you're wading through a mess; clear the cutlery. Take away the less significant, pressing things and just deal with the big items first. Start by washing your metaphoric pots! The more big items you get off the list, the easier it will be to eventually deal with the smaller things - your cutlery. 


I wanted to share this idea with all of you, my students, because I think it’s also a useful approach to your work in class and in private coachings. There are very often going to be a million thoughts and ideas running through your brain as you begin a scene or a song- things you want to accomplish in the scene to make you drop in or feel good - and it’s very often just too much to concentrate on. Too much mess. So wash your dishes one at a time. Allow yourself to decide what your big pots are going to be - ie, “I’m going to focus on speaking in my full voice because that keeps coming up as feedback for me” , focus on that pot first and let yourself be okay with not cleaning your entire kitchen every single time you act. 


Yes, that’s the kind of metaphor I come up with when I’m left with my thoughts as I wash dishes. I actually quite enjoyed it. 


Keep up the great work!  


Mark


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