I’m all about appreciating the small things in life. The moments. The conversations. The seemingly insignificant experiences that we’ll remember forever. (I’m pretty sentimental, so I’ve got a lot of those things :P)
But, there are other “small” things in life that I must admit get more attention than they probably should. In fact, I’m realizing lately that my mind is typically most consumed with these types of things - work-related tasks, finances, household responsibilities, etc. Just sticking to a normal daily routine can take up most of our thoughts and energy, can’t it?
Don’t get me wrong - those are obviously all important things that shouldn’t be disregarded. That would just be irresponsible.
But for me, it’s not the act of doing those things that is a problem - it’s how much I let them consume my mind and my life. I find myself focusing so much on those particular ins and outs of every day life that I rarely stop to think about the WHY behind what I do. The bigger picture. The things that actually matter in the grand scheme of things.
My daily quiet time in the morning definitely helps, but I think I’m going to add a new practice to it - adding a few minutes to just reflect on those big things. I want to more often ask myself:
How can I help/reach other people more? What am I actively doing to make that happen?
How can I better cultivate the relationships in my life, and build new ones that I want?
Am I make sure to take care of myself - body and soul?
Am I allowing time for the things that I love? How am I actively pursuing those things?
Maybe that means stopping to make more phone calls. Maybe it means saying “yes” to a social event, even if I’ve had a long day. Maybe it’s as simple as eating more slowly. Whatever those things are, I want to do more of them.
Anyone with me? How do you make sure you’re not forgetting the big things in your own life?
Definitely with you. I realized towards the end of the week how much I was worrying about cleaning our apartment, getting laundry done, and working out our budget until the next pay day. In the meantime, I feel I forget to enjoy the little moments with my boyfriend and kitten — which add to the biggest parts of my life. I want so bad to have a routine where I let myself “do” for me, and for my happiness.
Well now that I’m a certified “Gracie Groupie” I guess it’s only right for me to respond to a few more of these. Actually, reaching more people has been on my “big things” list for quite some time as well. Hey maybe one of these days I’ll share a link to my own work.
For now though, I just say… Keep up the good work G. Knowing what you want to do is definitely half of the battle, if not more.
Another line item on my list is connecting with people such as yourself, who are obviously driven, focused, and unstoppable. On that note… Is there a proper place to ask questions Miss Gracie? I guess I could probably dig for a contact me tab, but I’d surely assume that solicited emails get read more often than those of the unsolicited variety. Wow. I sound like such a nerd in that line. That’s my professional voice I think. The real me calls you G.
thanks for this comment, Ian! you can DM me on my Facebook Page (/GirlMeetsLife)
I’m quite terrible at the big things & big picture. Recently, after reflecting on the way a few friendships made me feel, I decided I need to start doing things that made me happy not pleased other people. I realized keeping other people happy was making me miserable. It’s definitely a process and I’m not great at putting myself first, but am trying.
That’s huge, Allison! I’ve gone through similar realizations. I know it seems really difficult to figure out the “what now?” - but just acknowledging it is the hardest part. Sometimes putting yourself first really is so necessary.