It feels like this post is long over due. I mean, I know it’s only been two weeks since I said I would write it, but I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.
In my post about How to Do Hard Things I said I wanted to share a way that I look for the good. This method can take a lot of work, but it’s really seemed to help me get through the tough spots (when I’ve been able to do it, that is).
When all of life seems terrible I try to look for the good in just about everything. Not just in the big, obvious things, but also in the little things. If I’m sad that it’s raining (which I never am), I try and think about how good it smells, or I’ll look for the light shining off the water droplets and think about how pretty it is. Most of the good I see, and the inspiration I get, are based off of nature. However, there are plenty of good things everywhere else. Say, you walk into work and smell coffee, and it reminds you of your mom. Or, you see a really good friend and they give you a hug just as long as you need them too. I’ve actually been sick for the last couple days, so when I took nighttime cold medicine, and I smelled the chill of a late evening, I was definitely reminded of Christmas.
These little things are often what helps me get through the day and reminds me that not everything is bad. It may seem like everything is falling apart, and it may be, but the little pieces of good give you hope. They can be the emotional glue keeping you together until you can do it on your own.
For all that this is a great method, you have to be careful that you’re not using it as a band-aid to avoid dealing with the hard things. Our struggles are a good thing. We always learn something from them. But, if you hide from them, they will keep getting bigger, and bigger. The “Little Things” method is used to give you a boost. Like having a daily cheering section. If used correctly, it should give you just the right amount of hope you need to keep wading through the water of life.