When life gets crazy, as it often does, it’s important to find routine and normalcy. My days usually include quiet time for writing and creating, but lately I’ve been pressed for time and am struggling with extra uncertainty and unpredictability. Sometimes that fuels my work and other times it’s an interruption. We all lose our groove and feel scrambled during transitions or hectic times, but it’s our approach that determines the outcome.
I am in the midst of transition and don’t see that changing for a few weeks, so instead of fighting it or making it more dramatic than it really is, I am finding solace in simple, predictable chores. Doing laundry, wiping down counter tops and making the bed keep me centered, and focused. There might be an argument for procrastination as well, but leaning on simplicity eases the stress of the more complicated things.
Find comfort and escape in the mundane
- If you get lost, do the laundry. You know how to do that. You don’t need input or direction. Just do it.
- If you feel scattered, wash the dishes. Turn off your dishwasher and wash each dish as if it’s the most important thing you have to do.
- If your mind is racing, hang out by the spin cycle. Let the background noise quiet your mind.
- If you are anxious, sweep the floor. Sweep up your worry along with the dust (and dog hair in my case).
- When things get messy, shine your sink. If your to-do list is out of control or your mind is full of idea and you don’t know where to start, clean your sink.
When your life is not exactly as you want it to be or as you think it will be, time is still passing and your life is still your life, even during times of transition. Instead of thinking about today as a stepping stone to tomorrow, remember that this is it. This is your life right now. You deserve to life fully everyday, even during the craziness.
Living fully sometimes includes those periods of time where you have to get through, get by, hang on and breathe deeply, but those same chunks of time are not a pause from life. They are part of your big, beautiful, sometimes messy, whole-hearted life and you decide how you will experience them.
Your transition, upheaval, health issue, or funky mood isn’t the first and won’t be the last. Remove drama, fear and worry by centering yourself with the simple things. Don’t rush. Let things unfold. They always do.
Even simple lives get complicated, but we always have the spin cycle.
