Not Today

I first came across the phrase ‘Not Today’ when I watched a film on human trafficking. The message of the film was that a young girl would not be trafficked that day. That phrase has stayed with me for years.

As I considered what to write on today, I had three thoughts on my mind but the phrase ‘Not Today’ came back and pushed the other thoughts aside. I love the phrase because it’s applicable to many areas of our lives.

I am sure there are many things that happen to us or things we do that we wish we could say, ‘Not Today’ to.

Consider your thoughts. Do you wake up and your first thoughts are about defeat, frustration and despair?

Can a new thought, ‘Not Today’, make a difference to your day? Maybe it’s time for you to say, not today, will I start my day curled up in a ball, not today will I start with a negative thought that leads me no where.

Perhaps you hate your job and you go in everyday expecting things not to be any different, expecting to tolerate everyone, thinking your work place is no good. One thing I have learnt after more than three decades of career is there is no perfect workplace, no perfect boss and there are no perfect colleagues.

People will fail us and our bosses will make mistakes. Choosing to start your day, thinking ‘Not Today’ might be the difference between your current reality or creating a new one.

You can decide ‘Not Today’ will I go into my workplace expecting a bad day, ‘Not Today’ will I go in thinking the worst about my colleagues and ‘Not Today’ will I go in unprepared to do the best that I can.

I have had four months of what I can only describe as inconveniences and upheavals, starting with house decoration, a break-in followed by a water leakage that will require extensive re-decoration.

With noisy de-humidifiers and industrial fans in the background and constant dealings with different workmen, I soon found myself not being on top of my other activities. The more I left undone, the more I felt burdened and overwhelmed.

I needed to have another thought. One day last week, I woke up very early and decided, ‘Not Today’. 

‘Not Today’ will tasks be left undone, ‘Not Today’ will the noisy fans bother me, ‘Not Today’ will I put my life on hold. I made a list of everything I needed to do and began to do them. As I crossed out each completed task, I felt less stressed and more in control.

Is this something you need to do?

Could it be your choices and attitude that you need to say ‘Not Today’ to? Do people dread when you come in to a place – home or office and are your relationships the best they can be? You can say, ‘Not Today’ to bad temper, sour mood, drunken behaviour, un-forgiveness, jealousy or anger. ‘Not Today’ to being a bully.

Are people praying that today would be a good day for you? You can be an answer to their prayers by saying, ‘Not Today’. You can decide to make needed changes and get the help you need.

Finally, on the journey to finding and fulfilling purpose, do you need to say, ‘Not Today’? You could be procrastinating and not taking the steps you know will move you forward.

There could be growth and job opportunities you’re letting go of, relationships you’re taking for granted and risks you are refusing to take.

The question is, ‘will you, everyday this week, this month and for the rest of the year say, ‘Not Today’ to all those things that need to stop?

Say ‘Not Today’ to procrastination, fear, anxiety and self-doubt.

It’s time to get unstuck and move forward again, starting with the decision, ‘Not Today’.

Thank you for reading and sharing my post every week. I really appreciate you. See you next week.

This week, please spare a thought and prayer for victims of human trafficking. Join me to declare ‘Not Today’ to Human Trafficking. Do what you can.