Recently, I've been giving a lot of thought to how the smallest decisions and steps can have the biggest impact on your mood, your day, and (ultimately) your life. It's so easy for us to get caught up in our larger goals and visions, but sometimes that can be paralyzing. On a particularly overwhelming day at work, I can find myself starting into space for a good 5 minutes, wondering how exactly to put one foot in front of the other. Where to start, when you're burnt out, overwhelmed, or exhausted? It can be too much to think of checking everything off your to-do list, and so what if you don't?
I've mentioned this post on Pink of Perfection about narrowing priorities, and re-reading it this week opened my eyes to the happiness of realizing the world goes on even when my laundry basket is overflowing, my inbox screams for attention, and my Words with Friends games beckon. Realizing that it's okay to run a bath and flip through a glossy magazine is half the battle.
While in this mindset, I've been trying to brainstorm a list of simple tasks that can have a big impact on my mood. Some of these may seem like no brainers, but it's helpful for me to list them here and keep them in mind in the coming days.
- Make my bed each morning - Allowing myself the 5 minutes it takes to do this has a profound impact on my mood. It makes me feel more put together when leaving for work, and ready to enjoy the evening when I return home.
- Wear lipstick - I'm new to the red lipstick thing, but realize that wearing lipstick of any shade helps me feel more together and boosts my spirits.
- Read before bed instead of watching TV - Oh, how I need to do this more often. Right now, I'm reading Pride and Prejudice (for the first time) for my book club. It was so lovely to make a mug of tea and read a few chapters before bed last night.
- Lighten my load - It's okay to say "no" to an obligation, take time for yourself, or NOT finish the project before leaving for the day. This is especially difficult for me, but I've managed to do it several times in the past week and it feels good.
What are the small things that matter the most to you?
{Image via Pinterest}
4 comments:
Hello. *waves* I'm not even sure how I found your blog, but I've been creeping for a while, and decided that it was time to come out and say hello.
I've been thinking about this too, how taking the time to do simple things keeps them from piling up and makes everything a lot easier.
My list includes doing the dishes that need to be hand washed as soon as I'm done with them (bonus, this tends to lead to more cleaning and tidying), taking the time in the morning to read my bible, and keeping up with my google reader / tumblr accounts with my smart phone throughout the day so I don't get behind. I also have a timer that I use to make sure I don't spend to much time on one thing. It helps me be more productive while I am working too.
Ha ha, you and I are the same Sarah! :)
I make it a priority to make my bed, too. It always makes the room feel put together, and it is a little thing that boosts my happiness big time.
I was not into lipstick - until I found Revlon lip butters! And now I am excited to pick one out to wear each day :)
I am reading before bed, too, and it makes such a difference. It's hard to find time during the day to read, so I make time before bed.
You're right, sometimes you just have to say no, so you can say yes to yourself :)
Welcome, Rachel! I love your idea of doing dishes right away. That's something I enjoy doing, too (but I'm one of those weird people that doesn't mind doing the dishes). :)
Sarah, the lip butters have also changed my thoughts on lipstick. So fantastic!
Sarah, reading your blog is like taking a nice deep breath of fresh air. You have such good thoughts and reminders here and I always feel de-stressed after reading what you have to say!
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