Autopilot Reliability
Creating days that progress by themselves.
Some days unfold, others unravel. I wasn't sure which this one would be.
Flipping the kitchen lights on didn't seem to do all that much. It was already light out, anyway. I shuffled forward, inching my way toward coffee. My eyes had opened this morning before my alarm went off. I hadn't exactly been thrilled about it, either. That's a great feeling sometimes but, today, not so much.
On sluggish days like these that lack motivation, I'm grateful my morning routine runs on autopilot. With a sigh, I'd reminded myself that motivation works like Legos—connecting and stacking pieces are what make it come to life. Pulling a mug from the cabinet next to the microwave, my day had started. Like it or not.
A shower, a walk, a podcast. Meditating and journaling. Those things usually kick my brain into gear. When I reached for the coffee pot, a squiggly, spikey, black and white pipe-cleaner wiggled itself into a standing position on the counter.
"What the fu—"
The thirsty caterpillar started rolling toward my coffee. Out of curiosity I snapped a picture with my phone and asked Grant to identify the countertop Fuzz Lightyear (Grant's my ChatGPT right-hand-man). This is when I really woke up.
I stared at my screen, trying to process the information.
"That's a Southern Flannel Moth caterpillar, also known as an asp caterpillar (Megalopyge opercularis). Despite its soft, furry appearance, it’s one of the most venomous caterpillars in the United States."
Um...whatcha say there, Grant??
After stating that I was in Vermont, and questioning the improbable likelihood of Fuzz being a Southern Flannel Moth caterpillar, I got the reassurance I'd been hoping for.
"Even though it looked fluffy and surprising, you’re most likely dealing with a white hickory tussock moth caterpillar, a native species up your way—not the venomous Southern Flannel Moth caterpillar."
And with that, things seemed to be steering back toward "unfolding" and away from the "unraveling" type of day I'd been headed toward.
When motivation feels low, I find it best to start with one Lego. Then, after snapping it into place, maybe trying to tack another on. The reminder that helps me most is: "some is better than none." Later when I wrote this, I took a moment to silently thank past-me for building a few autopilot features into my day.
onward.
-dmac