sun and daffodils
There are all these things that are common knowledge. Common sense. Pieces of wisdom that we hear over and over again. Sensible things. About how to do a job well, live well, save money, keep a house in order, raise a family, take care of ourselves, lose weight. Not big, amazing cures or fixes. Just the sort of sensible things that you know are true.
That you should neve let bad feelings fester.
That if you are careful with the little expenses, you will find you save money.
That if you pick up a few things every day, your house will stay cleaner.
That it doesn't matter what you say, your children will do what you do.
That fresh flowers always make things just a little better.
Those sorts of things.
But there is such a difference between knowing something in your head and experiencing it. Putting it into practice. We have the answers. So often we just need to take action.
The lesson that I am learning is that so many of the important things in life...maybe even most of them revolve around little things. The gradual accumulation of lots of little things. And that this may be, for me, the way to go.
Which is a LONG way of saying that I have started with my first "ritual" for this year. I took my time. I had visions of waking early, before my children. Drinking tea. Enjoying peace. Doing yoga. Lovely.
But the problem is that it is too cold, too dark, and I'm still hibernating. So I ditched put that idea on hold for a few months.
So I started looking for other ways to get myself out of my winter funk. And for some reason I decided I was going to set the table for breakfast each day, the night before.
It takes two minutes. But the change has been much larger that those two minutes. When the kids come down in the morning they sit right at the table and don't wander around complaining they are hungry. I know ahead of time what we are doing. I feel all organized and slight superior for about 35 second of my day. And somehow it makes the rest of the morning go more smoothly. I hestitate to say it, but our mornings are starting to have a rhythm.
Now I'm not saying that setting the table is the cure to all....or any...ills. But. It has had a little bit of a domino effect.
Because I was thinking ahead about food, I made a list of food to eat for the week. (something I talk about doing and never manage)
The table was clean, so I actually pulled out and organized all my craft projects (which has been driving me crazy)
Then setting the table prompted a few other things before bed. So somehow we have also got our bedtime routine back together
Oh...and I started writing blog posts again. Not sure if it's related though!
Life is just generally working a little more smoothly.
It's as if seeing this one little ritual, this one small change pull things together, has given me energy and hope. A reminder that an action, however small, is sometimes all it takes to keep everything moving forward.
And now I feel like I KNOW, for real, that the repetition of one little thing can built into something.
