I cooked a perfect dressing on Thursday. And I mean perfect. Moist but not too soupy, savory but not too salty, and with just the right amount of sage. It was my first, just so you know — though definitely not my first attempt — and as simple as it sounds, I was delighted with the accomplishment.
In fact, it’s the simplicity of it, I think, that delights me the most. Because the older I get, the more I realize just how elemental the little things truly are.
Yes, it’s our big, lofty goals that get most of our attention, and I imagine that’s because we see them as having the most impact. They are transformational, we think, and they have the best potential to set us free.
Free to travel…
Free to explore our talents and try new things…
Free to enjoy life and follow whatever dream might have caught our eye.
Free to figure out the YOU you want to be.
And I get that…
I have those goals too.
But sometimes, I think we get so focused on the destination, we start skipping through the journey.
We’re so busy — so over-extended, over-stimulated, and overwhelmed — that we’re blowing right past a lot of the small stuff.
It requires capacity we just don’t have… so we phone it in.
We’re orchestrating… but we’re not participating. And in the process, we miss all the best parts.
While we’re waiting for those big transformations, we’re forgetting to enjoy all the good stuff along the way.
That’s not our intention, of course…
If anything, we’re expecting to enjoy tons of that small stuff just as soon as we get from HERE to THERE. In fact, that’s often the driving force behind the chaos we’ve chosen; a little madness now will (hopefully) help us achieve our version of nirvana somewhere down the road.
And then, we’ll be happy to slow it down and indulge in those simple pleasures.
You know…
When we have more money…
More energy…
More time…
When we lose weight, find a better job, get that promotion, start our own business, write that novel, and win the lottery.
When we’ve created a life we love, we’ll slow down and enjoy it, little things and all.
Except — and here’s the irony of that mindset — those little things are the real treasures of a life well-lived…
They’re also the secret to designing the life you want to see.
And isn’t that funny?
That the thing we don’t have time for now is the very thing that will make our time worthwhile?
At least, that’s been my experience…
And the more I stop to smell the roses — the more I test new recipes and write poetry and bird-watch in my backyard — the more authentic my life begins to feel.
So, read a book. Something steamy or adventurous that you can’t put down. Pull out that sketchbook and sit with your favorite tree, or set your playlist to shuffle and dance until you can’t dance anymore.
Write a love letter.
Play the guitar.
Bake a pie.
Get a tattoo.
Turn off the television, put down your phone, and give yourself permission to just enjoy where you are in your life. Here. Now. In this moment.
We’ll be here when you get back. :)