Small acts

It’s no secret that there has been a lot of heart-wrenching tragedy at the front and center of the news lately. It’s a lot to take in, a lot to process, and a lot to try and understand.

With that comes the inevitable outpour of opinion, suggestions of what should be done, and, of course, countless posts on social media.

Now i’m certainly not here to tell you what to believe, think, say, or preach. Definitely not. But what I am here to say is this: the little things we say and do matter. And they matter a lot. 

And not just in “times like these,” but all of the time.

Our interactions and communication with others – both verbal and nonverbal – all create momentum and energy which cause a ripple effect that will either be positive or negative.

That ripple effect can be overwhelming, though. And if you’re anything like me and not sure exactly what to do about the mayhem in the world – and not just in Paris, but everywhere – then let me open the door with a few simple ideas that can immediately be put in place.

You may remember these from back when you were a kid…

  1. Think, and even more importantly, LISTEN, before you speak.
  2. Treat others the way you’d like to be treated.
  3. Stand up for your beliefs, but remember that yours are not the only beliefs out there.

Small acts of kindness and human decency have more power to create big changes than we may realize.

Be kind. And then encourage others to do the same.

 

 

Some days

Have you ever had one of those days where you just felt off? To put a cliche to it, a day where you felt like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed?

Of course you have. Because we all have. And today was one of those days for me.

This morning I woke up agitated, snoozed through over an hour of alarms (i’m a 30-minute snoozer on average, don’t judge) and had the hardest time getting out of bed. I just wanted to pull a curtain over the sun and focus my mind on the good dreams circulating in my head. My body was resisting what my mind wanted, and that made me one cranky little blonde.

Next I knew it I was running late and when I got to work, I hadn’t shaken that “off” feeling. I still got through my morning, accomplished my tasks, and everything was fine.

But that was the problem: it was fine.

I don’t go into work, or anywhere for that matter, looking to have a fine day. I go in with the intention of making each day great, positive, lovely, or just straight up kick ass. Fine doesn’t cut it for me. I needed to kick this feeling.

So do you want to know what I did?

I ate four doughnuts (yes, four) because – despite it seriously postponing my health and fitness goals – it made my body happy.

I also took a walk to a nearby park during lunch. I stopped, laid down in the grass, and listened to music, because that made my mind happy.

After work I went to a see a new chiropractor who not only readjusted my body, but also introduced me to acupuncture. To my own surprise it was quite relaxing, and that in turn made my soul happy.

Afterward I stopped and got an ice cream cone (I can’t say no to pistachio) and bought a pint to put in my freezer for my next inevitable “off” day. Cone in hand, I FaceTimed one of my favorite friends as I walked home, and that made my mind, body, and soul happy.

When I made it to my front door I got to thinking about the highs and lows of my day, and I came to the (seemingly obvious) conclusion that no matter how sincere our best intentions are, some days just kinda suck.

Some days you’ll wake up late.

Some days you won’t stick to your diet.

Some days you won’t be on your A game at work.

That’s okay.

The key is to find little ways to get back to your true self. And if you’re looking for the easiest way to do that, here’s my answer: do whatever it is that makes your mind, body, and soul happy.

After all, that’s the best chance we have to make our off days just a little bit better.