This is a guest post in a series of articles on mindfulness and what it means in daily life, written for our Ritual collection by Jo from Tiny Hunter, a creative branding agency in Sydney.
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It’s the little things that make a big difference
Pause for a moment and take a deep breath. Look at your day, what you're doing and why you're doing it. Take in everything around you and become aware of the sensations, thoughts and feelings. You may plan your life in years, but you live it day by day, and in the end it is the days that count. And it's in the small things that we can find fulfilment, happiness, a good life.
My day starts with a peppermint tea to wake up first thing; the heat of the water warms my body and the zing of peppermint puts a spring in my step. I embrace the school drop off as an opportunity to soak up nature with the kids, to notice the trees, the colours, the air on our cheeks. Doing so can turn mundane activities, ones that we might see as chores even, into pleasant ones that can be worth looking forward to.
These are all little things, little things that add up to a big mind shift. Little things that we decided we wanted to practice noticing and appreciating. An awareness we wanted to cultivate. Some call it mindfulness, others manifesting, others rituals. The label doesn’t matter, but the intention does.
Set your intentions
It’s important to slow down and understand how you want to feel and what genuinely matters. Who do you want to be, and what would you like to experience every day? As Annie Dillard beautifully said "How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives".
Think about your goals
Knowing the people you want to surround yourself with, the culture you want to be a part of, the change you want to bring about; whether it be on a personal, business or community level, can really help you understand what should be a priority in your life right now.
Start small
Trees, plants and kids. You never actually see them growing, but nobody can deny it. The change is so tiny everyday but it all adds up. Beginning with small daily rituals that are manageable and easy to incorporate sets you up for success. Nobody changed the world with a mug of peppermint tea, but for me, it makes me feel fortified for the day and provides the right energy to focus on my family and business. We can all find 10 minutes a day. What will you do with yours?
Routine can help
Creating a routine can help you build daily rituals. That’s why my focus on nature with the kids always happens on the school drop off. Setting aside specific times as part of your regular schedule makes it easier for you to maintain your new mindset, and means you get to look forward to the small (but big) things each day.
It’s personal
Meditation, journaling, yoga, exercise, reading, spending time with loved ones. It’s different for everyone, do what you need and don’t feel judged. Dependent on where you are at, it’s not even about a list of rituals. It’s simply giving yourself the space to intentionally think about the type of days you want to have, and who with, which all add up to the life you lead.
It’s personal to us
We created our Ritual candle sets to inspire a shift towards a positive frame of mind. We want you to set intentions, find calm and invite wellness in. And if lighting our candles can help focus your intention and carve out that sacred time for yourself each day then we are grateful we are helping create the change we want to see in the world.
1 comment
That looks lovely.