I’m not sure exactly what causes a shift in my perspective on things. {I certainly can’t blame it on having the winter blues as California hasn’t seen winter since early 2013.} It occurred to me that a perspective shift had happened in me when I walked up to the kitchen sink the other day and thought, I can’t believe I’m here again. Most of the time I don’t think about how many hours I spend in front of the kitchen sink in a week’s time. Normally, I just wash the dishes and clean up feeling grateful for a clean space once again.
Does this happen to you? Do you notice benign tasks that as a mom you do often and generally with love in your heart, suddenly becoming a thorn in your side without any warning? Not that I’m Julie Andrews over here always in signing away while doing laundry, but I typically don’t despise it the way I have been lately. My kids have been in such a stage lately which has added to it undoubtedly. We’ve been having a lot of discussions about manners, gratitude and respect in our home. Kids being grateful for all their parents do for them instead of expecting it all to get done. Simply using the ‘magic words’ a little more often puts me in a great mood! How easily we as parents are satisfied! I mean, just throw me a bone with the occasional ‘thank you, mom’ and I’d get back to doing those dishes with a smile.
The big question here really isn’t about parenting or menial household tasks. The real topic is gratitude. Gratitude is the big giant perspective shifter that we are all easily capable of without a spending a single penny. Gratitude is a practice. Being grateful, lingering in it, and expressing it. When my shift happens, I often do two things.
1. Read some Katrina Kenison
2. Write in my gratitude journal.
What do you do when you feel you’ve moved away from feeling gratitude? What helps you recognize the need? How do you restore your perspective? I came across this simple graphic on the blog Karmomo.
