What’s Your I.O.T.D?
We all have one.
It might be big. It might be small. It might be somewhere in between.
But we all have one.
I remember, back in the late 1990’s I was very anxious waiting for the results of a blood test I had to take for HIV in order to get life insurance.
The whole AIDS concern was relatively new, and ours was the first generation who were told condoms were essential for disease prevention as well as birth control.
We were given government leaflets through the post warning us about this silent killer, and everyone knew they could be infected by the incurable condition by having sexual contact with just one infected person.
Of course, most of us pushed it to the back of our minds, taking precautions and hoping it would never happen to us, but there was always that nagging doubt that we’d been infected before we even knew there was a threat.
It only took a week or so for my results to come through, but I remember it played on my mind terribly.
I remember thinking to myself that I would never need to worry about anything again as long I lived if I knew I didn’t have HIV. That somehow, life would be different, and I would sail through the rest of my days appreciating my healthy body and being joyful no matter what else life threw at me.
Getting the all-clear on my HIV test was my I.O.T.D.
My Issue of the Day.
Thankfully, the test came back all clear, and I was momentarily elated. I could breathe again! I hugged my family and squeezed my dogs, and even felt moved to call my mum just to see how she was (something that I rarely did).
Life felt perfect for a brief moment in time.
However, it wasn't long before another issue came and took its place.
The thing is, our brains are compulsive problem-solving machines. They constantly need something to be working on. Sometimes, it’s something very obvious, like an emergency to deal with, but even on the best of days, we’ll find something that needs our problem-solving skills.
That’s how we can end up feeling just as consumed about what colour pants to buy as which house to buy. It’s simply that relocating to a new town is the I.O.T.D one day, and stripes or spots is another.
You can use the concept of I.O.T.D. to gain a sense of perspective over your problems.
If you’re recovering from the acute stage of a major illness, then it’s perfectly reasonable to let other potential I.O.T.D.s slide off your to-do list for the day. Your main goal is to get yourself well.
If you find your brain chewing away on anything else, then remind yourself it’s just your Issue of the Day.
You’ll always have one, even on great days.
Like, when you’re away on holiday, your issue could be that tough decision between snorkelling or sunbathing, followed by a debate on which restaurant to go to for dinner. Some people get into full-on rows about shit like that when they’re on holiday because they hear all their I.O.T.D’s at the same volume in their heads!
What’s your I.O.T.D., and do you need to turn down the volume on it?