It’s a random Thursday around here again . . . here are 3 things that have been on my mind . . .
- A while back we talked about moments of contentment and how it can improve our lives when we notice them. I’m circling back on this to see if you’ve been doing this and what your experience has been like. I can say unequivocally that I’ve been noticing and enjoying the hell out of it when I do. The light of the moon through my kitchen window. The purring of George and Fred when they are asleep in my lap. Snuggling into my bed at the end of a long day. Reading a sentence in a book that makes me stop and pause. Opening my eyes after ten minutes of meditating. These all produce a deep feeling of contentment for me and noticing them makes it even better.
- I have a friend who loves to say solve the problem. And that is excellent advice. And pretty easy to follow, too, if you take it step by step. I think those steps should involve defining the problem (and if it’s more than one then break them out separately), thinking about how to make it better, and then executing whatever it takes to get it done. Some are very simple: spending too much time on a mindless game? Solve the problem by deleting it from your phone. Some are more complex and need to be broken into steps: need to rethink how you heat your home? What’s the first step to take? Make the call. I think if we can approach problems in this way they will all seem easier to solve.
- Now that spring is officially here I have a list of Spring Goals. Items on the list include: swapping out the bedroom curtains and linens, clearing out a cabinet in my mudroom, straightening a book case, making a spreadsheet of gardening tasks, and more. The list is in my journal and that helps me to remember what I need to do and identify what task might fit with my particular mood or time frame. I take great satisfaction with checking things off when I complete them, too.
And that’s it for me this Thursday. If you wrote a post for today, please share your link below.
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A random but pithy list! I’ve been noticing moments of contentment for a while, and enjoying them immensely! The feeling when your taxes are done, and you have the money to pay what you owe, when neither of the kids has any big pressing issues, the smell of line-dried sheets when you relax into bed with a good book … I’m lucky enough to have loads of moments if I take time to notice them!
Yes yes yes to stopping to savor those moments of contentment. It makes them more concrete… and perhaps more memorable or easier to revisit when an unexpected stress pops up.
I always have lots of things on my to-do list. It’s like the endless meal, there are always lots of leftovers to plan around! So my spring list is just a continuation of my winter list. LOL
Yes, lots of contentment around here. My husband is very good at reminding me of our blessings if I forget.
Paying attention to those bits of joys is becoming a regular practice here. And a spring transition list is a very good idea.
Definitely noticing contentment. Such a powerful thing to do. Also – checking off items on #3 could swing back to a moment of contentment! And #2 seems to be spot on. Sometimes a problem or issue can appear to be overwhelming, but if broken down into bite-sized pieces, one can manage it.
Good stuff, Carole. 🙂 Noticing contentment is a catch-22, I think. The more you notice it, the more you notice it! And don’t you think spring goals are a lot more interesting than winter goals?
I’ve definitely noticed more of those moments of contentment now that spring finally seems to be here and there are changes in the landscape to spot and enjoy every day. Also, since we’ve been down in Florida, I have so been enjoying hearing the different birds, especially the mockingbirds. You can’t not smile when you hear them singing!
I think I’ve become more aware of noticing/acknowledging/appreciating moments of contentment in the past couple of years — and of creating them! Haha. As soon as I cross a few things of my current list, I’ll be making a Spring list!! lol