Yesterday, PG&E had another power outage that caught us off guard. I tried to fire up our generator, and for the first time, it wouldn’t work. It had been about a year since we last used it.
We’ve had the thing for at least five years, so I figured some maintenance was overdue. I’d never done anything like that before. Time was of the essence, and taking it to a shop wasn’t an option.
I am not mechanically inclined. LOL. But with ChatGPT helping me step by step, I started working through it.
It turned out to be bad gasoline and a gummed-up carburetor. Along the way, I learned how to change the oil, replace the fuel, and work on something I never thought I’d attempt.
I almost gave up. I started to doubt whether I had any business trying to fix this thing in the first place.
Then, before the sun went down, the thing fired up.
I couldn’t have been more excited. I felt an overwhelming sense of pride doing something outside my usual “lane.”
We had electricity. I’d repaired my generator. Yesterday morning, I wouldn’t have expected to say either of those things.
I didn’t plan this little lesson. Something needed doing, and I gave it a shot.
Moral of the story: try something outside your regular routine. Give yourself a chance, and there’s a good shot you’ll pleasantly surprise yourself.
Yesterday, I certainly did.