I found this reference on social media and finally looked up the original story. The whole story is linked here.
Here is my summary of Kate Scott’s story about a therapy appointment when she was at one of her lowest points in life:
In typical human fashion, we all believe our problems are not real. We look at everyone else and think there are people out there with more significant, deeper, more substation problems that we do not give ourselves the benefit of the doubt that it is okay to admit we are struggling.
Kate struggled to admit to her therapist that she was struggling over the stack of her undone dishes.
“What kind of grown ass woman is undone by a stack of dishes? There are people out there with *actual* problems, and I’m whining to my therapist about dishes?”
I do not know about you, but I could relate to Kate at that moment.
Anything undone stresses me out to the MAX.
Dishes. Laundry. A dirty floor.
I will be on my death bed and still ask for the house to be picked up at the end of the night because starting my day with clutter sends my anxiety over the edge and throw me for the whole day.
Just like Kate, I, too, would not think to have that be stated in my list of “issues” with a therapist because other people have *actual* problems.
But then again, why isn’t that an actual problem? Whoever said that my problem, Kate’s, or Bobby’s down the street’s problem, is not a real problem?
Have you ever stubbed your toe on the end of your bed? That shit hurts. Is that pain less painful because you have a friend that broke their arm?
No! You feel bad that your friend is in pain too, but your toe still hurts, which is okay to acknowledge.
Kate’s therapist said something that day that not only changed her life but changed the lives of thousands of people on the internet when they said:
“Run the dishwasher twice.”
“Why the hell aren’t you supposed to? If you don’t want to scrub the dishes and your dishwasher sucks, run it twice. Run it three times; who cares?! Rules do not exist.”
Her therapist said four words that had a forever impact on her happiness. Four words changed her into a new person entirely.
Honestly, those four words changed me completely.
Run the dishwasher twice.
Kate said she “went home, tossed my smelly dishes haphazardly into the dishwasher, and ran it three times.
I felt like I had conquered a dragon.
The next day, I took a shower lying down.
A few days later, I folded my laundry and put them wherever the fuck they fit.
There were no longer arbitrary rules I had to follow, and it gave me the freedom to make accomplishments again.”
It was being told that it was okay to run the dishwasher twice, permitted Kate to go with the flow. Sometimes all it takes is a green light, thumbs up, you got it dude attitude to change our entire outlook on life.
Here is your green light.
The thumbs up.
You got it, dude!
You do you boo!
Run the dishwasher twice. Wash the clothes three times before switching them to the dryer. Buy new sheets instead of washing them. Find what works for you and do that, be that, conquer the dragon that has been weighing you down.
Rules do not exist. Happiness does!
