Recently I have been meditating with my family for 10 minutes before we fall asleep. We pray and give gratitude, and then we turn on a guided audio meditation. (Using an app called Calm. No affiliate link, I’m just sharing because I like it.)
We’ve loved listening to it before falling asleep for over 100 days so far!
This practice has gotten me to think about other moments in my day that are grounding for me, and I wanted to share them.
(Interestingly, while writing these out I realized that technology was part of many of these activities. I find that when I use technology as a tool, it can further my creativity and appreciation of the present.)
6 activities that have been grounding me/making me feel like life is more beautiful recently:
1. I turned on the voice memo feature on my phone the other day...
while the three of us were home. Kelsey was working in his home office and Ellie was floating between us. I turned on the recorder for ten minutes, and something about that felt like it was honoring the beauty of that sun-lit afternoon.
Ellie chattered away, talking about her imaginary friends, and birds chirped outside.
The recorder made me step back a bit from my life. Just like the recorder, I wasn’t trying to change anything, I was just listening.
I listened to Kelsey and Ellie banter back and forth.
I sat in my wheelchair in the dining room, and appreciated being here, right now.
2. A ten minute walk outside.
It snowed recently, and when it does, it’s pretty tricky for me to navigate outside in my wheelchair. I end up staying inside and becoming a bit depressed.
Two days day after we got snow, I dared to go outside and check how the sidewalks looked. (When the snow accumulates in the curb cut outs and when people don’t shovel, it makes my daily jaunts in my “Grit Chair” nearly impossible — even after most people have been able to move around for days.)
But the snow had melted faster than I expected, and I got to go for my “walk.” Yay!
Moments outside always makes me feel better.
We go on walks with the family around the block too, and as the weather looks better, I’m excited to start getting outside earlier in the day, even if Ellie says she doesn’t want to. :) We like to drink our coffee outside in the mornings on nice days.
3. Drawing.
I’ve been spending a LOT of time drawing recently. (We’re wrapping up our collections for this year so they can finally go to print!)
When I draw a lot, I end up going through my house more in awe of everything. Everything is beautiful to me, even the mess.
I love drawing complicated lighting scenarios, and after I’ve been working on them, I notice the light around the house, and I study the shape and color of things. Drawing, and art in general (whether I’m making it or just viewing it), makes me see the beauty in the everyday.
Drawing trains your brain to really observe. When you exercise your attention, it heightens your awareness and appreciation of the world around you while you.
4. Doing the dishes.
We do the dishes by hand in our house.
I recently became more at peace with it. It is a chore that I can do for the family — I can’t do most maintenance jobs anymore, so that falls to Kelsey. But I can do the laundry, and I can do the dishes.
I listen to music or a good podcast, or sometimes nothing at all. I love the light that comes through the window in front of our sink. It makes it a pleasure to do the dishes. I wash each dish, and I am grateful for clean, running water.
5. Card writing.
When I take the time to write to someone, it definitely lifts my spirits. It’s a good moment to pause, think about another person, and take 10 minutes of my time to connect my hand, brain, and my heart.
It’s been shown in studies that using our hands, being empathetic, and writing to someone are some of the best things we can do for our mental well-being.
Even though I know this, I constantly underestimate the lift it is going to give me.
(Our cards make it easy and beautiful to take a quick ten minutes to write to someone. I like shuffling through the art – they have a satisfying weight and sound to them too. The art often helps me think of what to say inside the card, and the size is big enough to say something meaningful but not too big to feel intimidating. We've put a lot of thought into them!)
6. Listening to more instrumental music.
For my videos I’m putting together for Tiny and Snail, I’ve been searching through royalty free music for good songs.
I find that as I’m listening to these pieces that feel cinematic — hopeful, romantic, and inspirational — It makes what I’m currently doing feel a bit like a movie, whether that’s going on my walk, doing the dishes, or drawing.
It makes me appreciate everyday activities in a new way, seeing everything through a more dreamy, golden lens.
I hope you try one of these activities this week (or all of them!) and bask in the beauty of being alive.
P.S. Do you have any practices recently that have made you appreciate your life more? I'd love if you shared about it in the comments. :)
7 comments
Writing in my journal, being silly, our long daily walk, listening to the birds when I take the dog out first thing in the morning, saying thank you to my husband for the cup of coffee he lovingly makes me each morning (he never expects thanks, but isn’t it to nice to hear it?), and taking a moment to appreciate the flora and fauna every day—especially as seasons change, noting all of the daily changes… These are the things I find grounding.
My “grounding” practices include getting outdoors and taking photos of tiny, beautiful things that I notice.
Thank you sooooo much for showing us your “Grit chair” you look so “warrior like” and I love seeing Ellie in your lap…also love seeing your kitchen area —I don’t have a kitchen sink window, but love that you do👏👏👏…
One of my favorite things I try to do for me is stop my frenetic pace around 3pm each day and sit in my sunroom with my Shelties and take half and hour to chill—it’s too easy to not take breaks due to errands and chores—and wind up with a stress headache…
I also love to piddle In my “craft room” I love to work with felt and flannels and do embroidery—
Thanks as always, Leah for your shares—praying Spring comes in for you soon…I grew up in Michigan, so it was chilly til mid April…In NC we’ve had stuff blooming since late Feb—I’m spoiled….
Thank you. I really appreciate what you share. xo
So many practices that I find grounding.
1. Daily yoga 487 days and counting
2. Daily time in scripture-4+ years
3. A walk most days work and weather permitting with an app I love “Pray as you Go”
4. Thank you or other cards when I notice things. Love using yours.
5. Weekly coffee with a dear friend nearly 4 years only missing once or twice a year.
6. Tip of iceberg I have a bunch of other small things