Small tweaks

With Earth Day freshly come and gone, I took the plunge and made a tweak to our routine that feels really good.  I ordered a big pack of microfiber cloths, a new lidded trashcan, and a reusable liner in a quest to wean us off of paper towels.  We are only a few days into this, but so far I am actually quite pleased!  Our new cloths are not only reusable, but are more absorbent and efficient at cleaning up messes.  Now I just need to work them into the laundry routine, and we’re set.  It has been easier than I anticipated so far, I must admit — and now our household is that much more eco-friendly.

There is something uniquely satisfying about seeing a problem and then finding just the right solution.  Maybe this might feel like a stretch to some, but I think that sense of satisfaction can be an important part of self-care.  Large milestones and big accomplishments don’t have to be the only things we celebrate.  Sometimes smaller achievements and personal satisfactions are even more important, because they keep us going and keep us smiling.

The other small thing I did for myself was entirely un-revolutionary, but equally satisfying: I gave myself the night off last night.  I have had very little downtime of late, but I’ve been proud that I’ve managed to keep getting everything done, even with extra trips to visit an ailing parent.  Well, last night I took the whole evening off instead of trying to cram the laundry into an already-busy weekend, and I am so glad I did.  I had time for a much needed nap, I got to bed on time, and I was up early enough that I added yet one more small tweak to my day: I took five minutes to read before making the bed and leaving for work.  It is amazing how much less rushed and stressful that five minutes made my morning feel.  I wasn’t mindlessly scrolling on my phone while I blended a smoothie — I was sitting down, with a book in hand.  It felt great.

So, with three small tweaks under my belt, this week’s little self-care realization is that even a small change can still be a significant one.  And that is satisfying in and of itself — to know that even five minutes in the morning, or three new items in my routine, can make a world of difference.