It’s the end of the day. You find a cosy corner at home, make a cuppa and relax. You reach for your glossy journal and start reflecting on three things you are grateful for from the day. Stop reading now if this is your version of reality!
Let's try again. It’s the end of the day. You’re shattered. The day has been filled with work, juggling Zoom meetings, and wondering how much longer you can afford the mortgage payments. One of the children has drawn in your glossy journal. And your cosy corner is covered in ironing.
Don’t get me wrong. I’m all for being grateful and spending time reflecting on the day. I love the idea of thinking of three things I am grateful for but I’m also aware of how hard the days can be. Carving out a corner of time for reflection may seem, for some of us, too much of a stretch at the moment. I also know many people who feel that finding three things can also seem too much …. too big … when there is so much going on in their lives.
I prefer a more mindful, in the moment approach …. an approach that helps me appreciate the small stuff. Throughout the day I imagine myself carrying around a bucket which I fill up with glimmers as they occur.
Acknowledging and savouring those moments as they happen is something I can do all day, every day. This moment by moment habit helps to punctuate my day with pauses and appreciate what is going on around me. The image of the bucket is one I can easily conjure up and keeps me on track and positive throughout the day.
Glimmers so far today: an inward chuckle when I used the touch up feature on a Zoom call (although I’m not sure it made any difference to the bags under my eyes!);
the smell of my coffee this morning; creating a ridiculously twee autumn table decoration.
What’s in your bucket?
