March is the beginning of spring and for many, the busiest part of the spring semester. In regards to keeping a life-giving home, it can be easy to fall out of line and become overwhelmed with the burden of everyday tasks in the home. March can be a time to take a look at how ordinary meals, redundant days of school and work, household tasks, and health can be a place to discover the extra and their beauty.
Our American society is adept to needing more always and the flashier the better to prove that we are better than others. We have to have instant gratification and our attention held. Gone are the days when the ordinary is deemed beautiful or extraordinary. But it is in the ordinary where we can find peace and happiness. Teaching our children from an early age to find wonder in the small things is not easy fast but can open their minds and hearts to the world around them in many ways. Wonder leads to curiosity and delight. Distraction, boredom, and fear are the enemies of wonder.
One way to cultivate wonder in your home is to fill it with books. No surprise there, from a Bookstagrammer! Fill your walls and spaces with images either paintings or photos. Choose an atmosphere that will cultivate an appreciation for beauty and goodness. Another way is to create family rituals. This can look like Sunday game night, Friday pizza night, Sunday dinners, and monthly formal meal time. Something special for your family to partake in on a semi-regular basis. You can also take it outside of the home to community activities such as festivals, museums, farmer’s markets, concerts, etc.
Spring is also a time for gardening and this can bring awareness to essentials and finding the beauty in simple things such as a flower or vegetable growing. I know that when we have a garden, the kids get so excited to grow the vegetables and then eat them at dinner time! We’ve even considered giving them their own plot for a children’s garden.
Another way to begin to find the extra in the ordinary is to limit screen time before breakfast. No comparing yourself to others on social media right from waking. No checking emails and making a to-do list a mile long before you’ve even gotten out of bed. Take the first minutes of the day to reflect and start slow. I promise it’ll make all the difference to your day.
Challenges:
Begin your days without looking at your phone or the tv for 7 days straight and see if you notice a difference.
Plant a spring garden and involve the kids.
Make it a point to pause during mundane household tasks and find something enjoyable about them.
Questions to ponder:
What are some ways you can find the extra in the ordinary?
What are some things you want to replace in your daily routine?
What is a family ritual that you can implement to bring appreciation for the mundane?
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