Joy in the Little Things

BEFORE you start reading this column, answer these two questions:

Where are you?And how many other things are you planning on doing while you read this week’s column?

IF, before beginning to read this week’s column, 
you have poured yourself a glass of wine or brewed yourself a cup of coffee,
if you have sought out a favorite spot in your house to sit,
if you have lit a scented candle,
if you have leisurely gazed around at your surroundings and felt appreciative for what you have,
you are on the right track to finding joy in the little things and the little moments.

And I commend you.

On the other hand, if you are going to read this while you empty the dishwasher, when you are stopped at a traffic light, at the same time you berate your kid or while making a grocery list, I urge you to read the rest of this column in one quiet setting NOW.

These are not random questions.  

If you are a regular reader of my weekly musings, think about where, when and how you read it. Do you sandwich it in between other tasks or give yourself an enjoyable pause in your routine to fully enjoy the experience? 

How we go about the dailiness of our lives – the small moments that comprise our day – says a great deal about how we live our lives. How we go through our day is how we go through our life. 

I used to write a 900-word column. Now my norm hovers at 600 words. Why? Because our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter as is our ability to sustain prolonged concentration.

I’m as guilty as you are. I skim through articles in The New York Times – articles I should be reading in depth in order to gain more nuanced knowledge of pivotal world events. And even when I do find something vastly enjoyable to read and not intellectually over-challenging, I usually peruse it while leaning against my kitchen counter, sipping a lukewarm cup of coffee – rather than STOPPING and putting in the energy to indulge fully in a moment of leisure.

Why? 
Because I am hyper focused on productivity – on completing my ridiculously long to-do list every day and equating my self-worth with the level of my output.

What happened to bygone days?
My family on weekends would jump in the car simply to “go for a ride” or to visit nearby relatives and sit on their front porch, enjoying meandering, inconsequential chats with each other.

My mother’s favorite magazine was Redbook – but not for the fashion trends or guidance on homemaking and recipes. Her pleasure emanated from Redbook’s short stories. 

I ask you: when was the last time you read a short story just for sheer pleasure?

Every morning, I wake-up faced with a long to-do list. I rush through the list – hoping to finish it. But as fast as I cross something off, something else replaces it.  

I never finish it.

Why can’t we approach each task with the attitude of making it as pleasant as possible? 

Twenty minutes of physical therapy to strengthen my core and hips is how I start my day. I usually run through the set of exercises as quickly as possible – not really concentrating on tightening my muscles as I gyrate around. This morning, before commencing, I took the time to light a candle, turn on some classical violin music on Pandora and center my mind on being fully present for each extended movement. 

And when it was over? I felt like I had accomplished something noteworthy: I performed my morning routine more effectively and I savored doing it. 

For those of us laser-focused on PRODUCTIVITY, think about this:  
THE BIGGEST WASTE OF TIME IS NOT LIVING IN THE MOMENT.

Keep Preserving Your Bloom,