If Necessary, Just Slow Down

I have some family members that drive too fast.  Clearly, this is just my opinion and they say I drive too slow.  However, on a few occasions traveling with them in unfamiliar territory, with me serving as the 'co-pilot', riding shotgun, trying to confirm directions on my phone, or with a map...in these situations I've been heard saying, "If you don't know where you're going, slow down."  Doesn't that make sense?  It has for me when significant street signs were whizzing past us in a fuzzy blur.

How about a boating analogy?  Remember in the film On Golden Pond when Norman (played by Henry Fonda) and Billy Ray (Doug McKeon) were navigating the waters in the fishing boat?  In the heart of the lake they were at full throttle, but in the coves, they slowed down and were careful to watchfully maneuver through the rocks (or were they stumps?)

Home renovating can be approached understanding comparable advice about slowing down sometimes.  If you've done some activities before, like painting, then you know what your doing and can chug along a little more effortlessly.  You know how to prep before you paint, cut in corners and trim, clean brushes and equipment when you're done, etc.  However, if you're doing something for the first time, like installing kitchen cabinets, there's a good chance you need to drop down into first gear and proceed more slowly.  Doesn't that make sense?  You'll probably agree, but when folks get excited about transforming a house into something better and more impressive, it's easy to get caught up in that excitement and move forward in a way that can be counterproductive. 

Sometimes, depending on the severity of the issues of a home renovation project, it might be necessary to patiently and methodically work your way through some of your challenges.  You can speed through others (like hauling demolition debris to the dumpster), but with the sticky issues, be ready to ease off a little and when you're scheduling the workload for your evenings and weekends (perhaps scopes of work you've never necessarily done before) allow more than adequate time and proceed slowly and with caution until you know what you're doing and what you're up against.  However, when you start doing something you're comfortable or experienced with, hit the gas because you'll need the extra time for the work you've never done. 

Now, you may have a mishap like Norman and Billy Ray did in On Golden Pond, but it likely won't be a life-threatening situation like drowning.  As I've said before, these things will happen.  When they do just hang in there like the guys did in the movie, learn from your mistake, be grateful if you're rescued, and thankful when you're back on track.