I can do this. At least, most of the time I believe I can. What you might wonder? Write. Have something worthwhile to say. I need to get into the habit of writing daily. Every day. During these last months, I’ve written a lot more than I ever did, so I am on the right track. However, I need to be even more consistent.
Write. Every. Day.
Even if it’s just for a little while. Little is better than nothing.
I write because I want to. It’s my way of sorting my thoughts and feelings, and hopefully improve myself. Learn new things. Put things in perspective. I also think that my experiences, thoughts and ideas are not that unique. They are shared by a lot of other people on this tiny blue planet. So just maybe, what I write can resonate with someone else. Help someone else see things from a different perspective. Make someone else feel that they are not alone having those experiences.
The other night, we watched a family movie together. Horton Hears a Who! from a children’s book written by Dr. Seuss. The elephant Horton found a small speck of dust that turned out to have a whole world on it. There were little beings living there, going on with their everyday life. A kangaroo living in Horton’s world couldn’t tolerate this notion of an entire world on a tiny speck of dust. She caused an uproar to get her hands on that speck and destroy it. Eventually, the little beings on the speck managed to make themselves heard to all the animals in the jungle and they were saved. The mantra “A person’s a person no matter how small.” kept repeating throughout the movie.
My kids thought that the movie was a little bit strange, especially the 5-year old thought that they talked too much. The two older ones liked the movie but thought it was a bit scary. Indeed, kangaroo was depicted as a very narrow minded, ruthless person afraid of change. Eagerly willing to resort to violence to prove her point. Kangaroo probably lived a very unhappy life.
For all we know, we are those beings on a speck of dust. Our blue planet is nothing but a speck in the infinite universe. Perhaps our universe is also a tiny speck of dust in an even greater, bigger universe. We don’t know. But it doesn’t really matter. All that matters is that I am here today, trying to make the most of my life, because that’s what matters to me.
I don’t know what will happen tomorrow. I can’t change what happened yesterday. All I have is today, this hour, this minute. To make the most of this day. Make it a day to remember, as every single day is a day to remember.
Today I hold myself accountable to these things:
To be grateful
- Grateful that I have my family
- Grateful that we live in a peaceful country
- Grateful that we have a roof over our heads and food on the table
- Grateful for the abundance that is all around me
- We need to stop taking things for granted and instead be grateful for all that we have. Open your eyes and see the abundance that is all around you.
To enjoy the day
- To laugh out loud with my kids
- Laughter is a real energy boost and it releases pressure that you’ve built up inside. Also, it brings people closer together, creating new ties and connections.
- Laughing with your family will bring you closer together.
To be present in the moment
We need to be present in the moment. If we are not present in the moment, we are either planning ahead or dwelling in the past. Be in the moment. Don’t rush things, just be where you are. Take your time doing things with intent. You will not get a lot more done when you hurry all the time, and at the end of the day you’ll only feel stressed.
To get rid of those damn to-do lists
Arghh! I haven’t quite managed to do this yet, but I am getting better. I still have a to-do list, but it’s short. The things on there are reminders such as decalcify the dishwasher that pops up every 2 months or so. Otherwise, I have no clue of knowing when it’s time for doing it. I would like my dishwasher to tell me when it’s time. The coffee machine does that. I guess it simply has better manners.
Also, pay the bills pops up every month. I know I have to pay the bills. I don’t really think I would forget to. But this is such an important thing to me that I cannot really let it go. Yes, I am somewhat of a control freak! Receiving a reminder for a bill I forgot to pay feels like a disaster to me. I know, I have to work on this.
At least, I’ve managed to get rid of things such as clean the living room from my to-do list. I don’t need a reminder for that. When it’s too dirty, I’ll simply clean it. If we have guests coming over, I’ll simply clean it. Although, I try to not clean too thoroughly when we have guests coming over.
I want to have friends visiting as much as possible, but if cleaning obsessively before every visit becomes a thing, then I will not enjoy it anymore. Also, I think it’s a good idea to lower the bar for your friends. Everything doesn’t have to be perfect when they come over. If you’re house isn’t perfect, then you take the pressure of them for when they invite you over.
To not complain a single time
Complaining is draining and it doesn’t get you anywhere. Whenever you feel like complaining stop and think for a moment. What good will it do if I utter this complaint? My guess is no good at all. Stop the complaining and rephrase things instead.
If you want your kids to pick up all toys lying around, they way to get them to do it isn’t by complaining that there are toys everywhere. Just make a simple observation that there are toys on the floor. I bet you, they will see them too.
Make picking them up into a game. Take the time for how long it takes them to pick them all up. Or tell them to pick up 10 things each (or any other number depending on number of toys and kids available, do the math). Or tell them to pick up everything that has the color red on it. Kids love to play games, make cleaning up their room into a game. I assure you, it will make things a whole lot easier.
To give myself grace
I listened to a talk the other day that was truly inspiring. I particularly liked the part about giving yourself grace. Give yourself grace to not having to be perfect all the time. Give yourself grace of not having to do all the things you set out to do each day.
I try to write every day, but if I don’t make it for one day I simply don’t say ”Ah, what’s the use. I might as well give up.” I simply give myself the grace of not having written that day. Tomorrow is a new day when I can write. So don’t beat yourself up about things, simply try the best you can, improve little day by day and eventually you will get there. Persistence is the key.
What will YOU do today on this tiny speck of dust we call earth?
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