I am fairly certain that I should have come into this
world with a jumbo-sized yearly planner and a pencil behind my ear. Ever since I can remember, I have been a busy bee. As a child, I always looked for a way to keep moving forward; whether physically or mentally.
When I was little, if I got bored, I got creative. This still applies to me
today in so many ways. From this, I've acquired an insatiable thirst for
adventure and knowledge. This thirst has lead me into so many places, and I know more learning experiences are to come.
However, sometimes I move so fast that I forget to stop and take a whiff of the flowers planted along the path to my destination. We all tend to do that, don't we? We find ourselves caught up in the same routine over and over again, and often overlook how great our lives truly are. These are some small details I've noticed about my daily life since I began slowing down, and hopefully, they are something you can look out for during your days, too.
1. That painful and initially difficult roll out of bed in the morning is a blessing.
Let's be honest with ourselves- all of us have shook hands and made friends with the morning slump. You know what I'm talking about: that first alarm clock sound echoing throughout the room, the attempt to hit the snooze button without opening your eyes, and the moment of realization that you absolutely must get up and get ready. I used to do this every morning, with some added groans of frustration. I would tell myself, "Abigail! You have to get up!" One morning, however, I had this revelation while laying in my bed. The fact was not that I had to get up, but that I am alive, awake and able to get up. I began greeting myself with "Abigail! Another day of life, get up!" instead. This one thought changed my mornings forever, and after I started realizing how lucky I was to simply be breathing, I was eager to jump up and begin my day.
2. It might be a bad day, but it's not a bad life.
Every single person experiences bad days in their lives because, after all, they are inevitable. Whether you spilled your morning cup of joe on your favorite shirt, forgot to do your homework or are just running late, everyone knows the feeling. I'm trying to learn to embrace the bad days as they come, because they have taught me an important lesson. Sure, you'll have a less than wonderful day every once in awhile, but these days are not even comparable in size to the good days. Don't let one bad memory cloud all of the good memories. You are more blessed than you know; let the bad days be reminders to still be thankful.
3. You directly influence the world, whether you see it or not.
Maya Angelou once said, "I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." It is one of my favorite quotes because it's very, very true. Think of it this way: if you were to compliment someone and make them feel good about themselves, it sticks with them. They know how it feels to be complimented, or to be happy, so they will want to make others feel that way, too. It would work the same way if you were unkind, but would you rather start a chain of negativity or kindness? One of your actions, as simple as smiling at someone, can make an enormous impact on so many people's day.
4. Anything can be enjoyable when you put your whole heart into it.
There are tasks in life we love, and others that...well, we don't. I've come to find that regardless of our opinion on them, we can make any job or event fun when we put more of ourselves into it. You might be dreading something you volunteered for or offered to do because it requires waking up so early (see detail number one) or because it's going to take up a large chunk of your day. Really, though, take a minute to think about why you're doing something and how it's going to help someone in any number of ways. You can always find a way to make what you are doing worthwhile; if you can lift a stress or burden off of people by doing it, then it's never wasted time.
5. Showing love and appreciation for people comes in so many different forms.
Expression of love of gratitude appears more than we think. Of course, you have the simple "Thank you!" or "Love you!" that can do the trick, but it comes in so many other messages. "Be careful out there, and let me know you got there safely." "I couldn't have done this without you." "I just wanted to check in on you." Of course, actions speak louder than words, but sometimes, small gestures make the biggest impact.
When you really take the time to look at the world around you, you see so much more than before, and understand life in a whole new light. May we always remember to slow down sometimes, and realize what is right in front of us.
