Friday, June 18, 2010

The Small Stuff


I am a big believer in stopping to notice the small stuff. I kept a diary for a while of something nice I saw everyday and it did make me appreciate those little things you see that make you smile. Maybe you would like to jot them down , just for a month and see how it changes your perspective on things? Often the clients I work with are depressed or feeling like the glass is always half full... I encourage them to keep this little diary of nice things that they see in order to get them to shift their thinking just a little bit... to start to see that their is real beauty and happiness  in the everyday bits of life. Sometime they get really into it and start writing 3 or 4 things everyday or they draw little pictures instead of writing it or they cut out pictures from magazines and make collages, it is great when I see someone who really runs with it.  It is also important to write down how seeing that nice thing made you feel. Now rather than keep it in a diary , I just write down things in my notebook... here are some examples;

  • Huge long hairded dog with its head out the window and its hair blowing in the breeze- dog had hugest grin on its face- made me laugh and think of how much my own dog loves that and how he asks me to wind the window down when we are in the car...  
  • Last night friends were over and their son who is 12ish was watching a DVD laying on the floor with his arm around Busy. It was so sweet. It made me wonder what her first love would be like and made me hope he/she was really nice... ( like this young boy is)
  • The look on our collective faces when we saw that the place we stayed at on the long weekend had a jumping pillow. Our family loves a jumping pillow. Fun for the whole family all at once.
  • This morning when I was driving their were big shafts of light and they were shining on an old farm fence with heaps and heaps of spiderwebs that were all glsitening with morning dew. It was an everyday thing that looked so beautiful I wished I had my camera. The web looked like it was made of tiny little glass beads.
  • So what have you noticed this week?
    Nothing like a giveaway to get those blurkers out of the closet? Pop over here if you haven't already...

14 comments:

  1. That's why I'm forever snapping away on my camera phone...... frost on my bedroom window, autumn leaves....... I have it all stored on USBs though which kind of defeats the purpose. You've inspired me to keep a diary. Thanks... nice post. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Finding my old combat boots and dungarees in the back of the closet, ah memories.

    Beautiful Organic Oregon strawberries at the local produce. Made my mouth water and made me buy ice cream to go with them. A lifetime of summers flashed through my mind...the short version.

    Pony Girl shakin' her booty to Stevie Wonder in the living room. Made me laugh and get up and dance with her.

    You gotta get up to get down!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I think this is a great idea and I am going to try it. I'm always seeing happy things, but of course they are quickly forgotten. It would be nice to look back on.

    ReplyDelete
  4. this is such a lovely idea I keep art journals but really need to add these things you suggest each day it will be such a fab thing to add thanks so much!

    ReplyDelete
  5. The thought that is keeping me going all day is my 9 year old son, who is going to sing his footy teams theme song all by himself at assembly. All the grade 4's have to step forward and sing their teams song, but since he is the only bulldogs supporter - he will sing alone. I'm feeling so proud of him, and it hasn't even happened yet!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Great list Cath.

    I want to stay somewhere that has a jumping pillow one day. Maybe with an air dancer at each corner.

    Graffiti, my cat curled up on the armchair, the thought of homemade pizza with Ms L this evening and dozens of french knots.

    ReplyDelete
  7. What a great idea! I'm going to start writing and photographing amazing things I see and appreciate! Thanks! I love your cobweb photo. Superb.
    Faeryfay:-)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great post.

    Today's small thing would have to be having my kids wake up with big smiles on there faces this morning. (they have woke up grumpy every other day this week)

    Oh... and also my mini splurge on wool for a few new crochet projects to come. (ok, not a small thing, but darn exciting!!!)

    ReplyDelete
  9. What a good idea. I think I'm going to do this... get myself a cute little notebook and write something daily.

    Thank you! :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. We have a 700 metre walk to the school bus stop. This week I walked the kids rode, I got this lovely view of a country dirt road, 2 happy kids on bikes, one dog- all stop to let the kangaroo family cross the road. Nice!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I just love this idea and I just bought a beautiful journal last week so I'm going to use it for this purpose! There are so many beautiful things I do notice but on the tough days it's hard to remember so this will help!
    Today will include giggling with a friend like were twelve...my 93 year old grandma hugging me and telling me she loves me...pretty verigated wool to make mittens with and lamb shank stew for tea!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you for sharing such a beautiful and inspiring post. I think your clients are very lucky to have you!
    I'm feeling very half-empty right now, so I'm determined to start a little diary to record these things...
    This morning while waiting for the train in the sunshine, the wind was rustling the gorgeous red and golden leaves against a perfectly blue sky.

    ReplyDelete
  13. I keep a creative journal. Write about everything i make, what materials i used and how i felt during the process of construction and how it makes me feel at the end to see the final product.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great idea Cath, I have journalled on and off over the years. I bought a few special moleskines off Jan a few years ago with the intention of journalling positive thoughts. Instead when Tony's Dad got sick and lived with us one became a record of medication given, doctors notes and and specialists visits. I only found it the other day and we looked back and said wow that was huge shit! Now I've printed off a whole heap of pictures of Tony's Dad and the kids and I'm going to paint the pages and collage positive memories in it, my way of saying the journey was worth the last few months kinda thing. I follow a few blogs where they post a picture a day, and I started that...but your idea sounds much more doable...thanks, I'll be giving it a go x

    ReplyDelete

what a nice person you are- taking the time to comment in this busy hectic world...Thank you!!