Little Things That Are Not So Little
Small joys compound into big effects. Have you taken the time to appreciate the little things lately?
I’ve noticed lately that my thoughts have often been consumed by everything I’m not super thrilled about in my life right now (a discussion for another time but happy to share if you’re curious). It’s exhausting. I’m all for reflecting on areas of improvement, but I get so jaded by my negative thoughts. It’s almost like I’m looking for ways to bring my mood down - which I’m not!!! I’m on a quest to strengthen the bedrock of my inner peace amidst the chaos of my 20s, and these thought patterns are eroding what foundation exists.
One of the ways I’ve been trying to bring more calm into my life is through creativity. I love junk journaling, art journaling, graphic design, and collaging. Every now and then I’ll go out and paint pottery (shown here) or customize jewelry.
Our thoughts are powerful, and time is finite. We can choose to spend our time filling our minds with negative thoughts, dwelling on what hurts us or makes us upset; or, we can still have those thoughts and then choose to move forward with more empowering notions. How often do we hold on to that indignance from the person who was rude to us on the way to work but disregard the fact that three people asked us how we were doing today? Or maybe we’re replaying an awkward conversation in our head but we forget to celebrate that this is the fourth week in a row that we’ve kept up with a new habit.
Shifting Thought Patterns
Over the past few months, I have been trying to pay more attention to how my mental energy is being allocated. Shifting the ratio of thoughts is a work in progress and not something that happens overnight, but I’m at least starting to catch myself and say, “Ok, you feel a certain way and that’s valid. Let’s also recognize some of the amazing things happening, too.” And most of the time, it’s the smallest things that I consider to be amazing. The most random moments that move me and reinforce how beautiful life can be if we choose to view it that way.*
*This simplifies a rather loaded, multifaceted topic, and it’s absolutely not black-and-white thinking of “life is great” vs. “life is not.” But I believe that tiny steps within the constraints of reality can lead to larger changes that we might not notice day-to-day but are compounding behind the scenes. Let’s continue to dive into all of this!
Magic in the Everyday
As I’m trying to take a more active role in these thought pattern shifts, I feel like there has consequently been a natural passive (muscle-memory-like) shift occurring. This list of “random, amazing things” started as a subconscious awareness of little moments that stood out from the daily hamster wheel.
The warmth and softness of string lights
When someone still has something you gave them long ago
Reflexively remembering lyrics to a song you forgot existed
A fully-stocked fridge
Pick-up-where-you-left-off relationships
Waving until you can’t see each other anymore
Someone calling you by their special nickname for you
Your favorite meal
A line in a book that expresses everything you couldn’t
Fresh flowers
Sunshine after rain
Cleaning a room that has been messy for a while
Finding something you thought you lost
Changing into cozy clothes after being in the cold
Unexpectedly seeing sunset
The hypnotic sounds and movement of waves
Being on the same wavelength as someone else
Someone standing up for you
Unlocking nostalgic memories
A “thought of you” or “this reminded me of you” text
Anything that makes you forget to check your phone
A good stretch
The smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls
Comfortable silence
Similar to how a gratitude list pushes us to acknowledge aspects of our lives we may be taking for granted, a list like this reminds us that seemingly tiny gestures, moments, and mundanities may greatly impact our overall quality of life, even if we don’t realize it.
It’s Your Turn!
You might relate to a lot of these or you may not. Regardless, I highly encourage you to create a list of your own (feel free to take from or build upon this list, but sit with this line of thought for a bit and dig deep). Think about moments that give you pause; make you feel special; and bring you relief, warmth, or joy.
Here are some examples that led me to my list above:
Unexpectedly seeing sunset: I love sunset and sometimes I intentionally plan ways to see it. But other times, I just happen to look out the window at the right time and notice the most gorgeous painted skies. And every time, I either stop what I’m doing to spend a couple of minutes looking at the sky or can’t help but smile and feel lucky that I was able to observe something so beautiful.
Comfortable silence: How special it is to have a closeness with someone where you can sit in the presence of each other and do your own thing. No pressure to hold a conversation or act a certain way. To feel at ease like you can in your own space. It’s less about quality time and more a testament to knowing that you’re there for each other and accept each other as you are.
Cleaning a room that has been messy for a while: It’s not uncommon for my clutter to pile up over the week (or month …). I don’t even notice the added chaos in my mind because I’m so used to it! But wow, the second I clean everything up and can see the tabletop again, a sense of serenity washes over me.
These are all fairly overlooked moments, but when I think about their roles in my life, their meaning is much greater than the attention I give them.
Applications
Here’s what I hope you take away from this read: Enjoy the little things. Allow yourself to feel heartened and elated about the more “commonplace” parts of your life. They impact us more than we realize, and they deserve to be cherished and appreciated!
I want to know what your list of “little things that are not so little” contains. Share in the comments below, DM me, or email me!
P.S. If there’s anything I can do to make these posts or even the website more accessible, please leave your feedback below or email/DM me. Inclusivity is super important to me, so I’d love to make any adjustments to ensure everyone can access this content!