Sometimes you just have to start small.
Sometimes on the day your kids start back to school after Christmas break you might start out in the morning with a million ideas swirling in your head and wondering about which home improvement project you are going to tackle first.
You may even get so hopped up on caffeine that your brain tricks you into thinking that you will break out the miter saw and nail gun and jump right into that kitchen island makeover.
But then, after making breakfasts and packing lunches and getting everyone out the door and dropped off at school and then driving across town to WalMart and working your way through your ridiculously long grocery list and driving back across town towards home and unloading the groceries and putting everything away and cleaning out the fridge of all of the holiday junk and starting a load of laundry and changing into your sweats (come to mama!) and standing in the kitchen and marveling at how quiet the house is…well…then you might find that not only do you not have the energy to start on a major project…you don’t even really want to.
Sometimes you only have enough energy to start with something small.
Sometimes all you are able to do is organize the desk in your kitchen.
Sometimes all you can do is sort through the ‘junk’ basket that has been sitting out on the desk and getting piled high with receipts and school papers and…well…junk.
Sometimes it feels so amazing when you finally do something that frankly only takes about 10 minutes to accomplish but you’ve been putting it off for months and months.
And sometimes its ok to just make simple changes like replacing the ‘junk’ basket with a wood caddy and still feel a deep sense of accomplishment.
Sometimes just finding a spot to tuck your phone away while it’s charging can make your heart go pitter patter.
And sometimes, this seemingly small and insignificant task isn’t really as small and insignificant as you might think.
Because, well, we all know that
starting small
is better than
not starting at all.
Amen to starting small. Why make January stressful when we just got over Christmas stress? Clearing the small area around what is probably central in your life seems to me to be the best place to start. In Irish tradition my Christmas decorations should be down today. NOT! And I’m not letting it bother me. I’m cleaning closets as I go. Starting small! BTW, I love your desk caddy.
Thanks for reminding us its ok to start small! I’m working really hard at taking life day by day as I have always taken on multiple projects at one time and found trying to be supermom and superwoman got me nothing but stress!
I’m finding letting go of some of the things in our home is a great way to start small. Yesterday I was delighted that my sister was interested in one of my sets of china…yup I’m a baby boomer. It has been taking up semi prime space in my kitchen as my china hutch now houses my wonderful white Pottery Barn dishes that I LOVE. My boys don’t want the china so I decided to find a family member that would cherish them and I did. A bit easier letting go as they were given to me as a set because an older sis found them on a great buy when she managed a china department many years before I was married.
Our homes were built one brick or piece of wood at a time…we learned to walk one small step at a time…I think living life through one small project at a time sounds perfect.
I’m thinking I need a caddy in the kitchen to hold all those miscellaneous things that get dropped on the counter. Thanks for the inspiration!
Do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin, to see the plumb line in Zerubbabel’s hand.” Zach 4:10
Thank you for reminding me how very important and how very honorable God sees the small things. After years of gathering projects, pictures, and narratives, I finally started a blog. Yes. Finally. It’s one week old, has four posts, and nine followers.
It’s definately a small beginning.
But in this moment, I rejoice in this very small thing and today…… take at least one more small step.
http:thechelseaprojectblog.wordpress.com
I am the queen of procrastination. This is helpful. My new motto…start small.
Starting small is where all great project’s come from. Putting the idea on paper, gathering tools needed or just imagining something different could happen, once my coffee kicks in! For me it was adding an extension to a plug. Something so little was holding me back from changing up the decor on my table. Also plain procrastination & the lazies. But last trip to Walmart the plug thing jumped in my basket. When I got home and could now use the lamp AND my laptop at the same, well I was inspired. I could do more. So I polished up the table and set out to make this space new for 2015. Small steps gets us on the road. Now for cleaning the kitchen cabinets. More coffee needed for that!
Barbara Ann
etsy.com/shop/barbaraannscreations
Sometimes a small adjustment can make your heart sing. Loved the post. 🙂
Thank you Clearissa!
You are so right!
Starting small is the best. 🙂
Happy New Year friend!
k
Thanks sweet friend!
So true! Doing anything is better than nothing applies to everyone in all of lifes situations. I’ve definitely been living by that mantra lately. Sometimes I feel like I get nothing done all day, so I write down what I do. Doing that makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. Thanks for the reminder and the inspiration!
That’s a great idea Pam! I have those days too where I feel like I accomplished nothing but then I look back and realize how much I really did get done! So glad you came by today friend. 🙂
Beautiful reminder. Just beautiful. I sometimes get so overwhelmed with things to do that I stifle myself and end up being non-productive. This reminder about just taking the first step is one to remember. Thanks, Vanessa!
Thank you Kerry! 🙂 I do the same thing where instead of just starting on one thing I end up being so overwhelmed that I do nothing. Glad to know I’m not alone!
Words to live by!
Thank you Jane!
Truer words have never been spoken! And that sense of accomplishment of organizing an area that has been bugging you for months is truly amazing. I have one (or more) of those areas in my house right now!
I, too, started that Monday with some many ideas racing around. And yet found myself chasing my tail all day! Thanks for the reminder to start small …
Happy New Year!
🙂 Linda
Thanks Linda! Happy New year to you friend! 🙂
I find that just starting is all I need!!!