In a world of instant gratification and “keeping-up-with-the-Joneses,” it is easy to begin to begrudge our day-to-day life. Our routine. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to keep life interesting by shaking up our “ordinary” lives now and then by going and doing something fun, novel, etc. What I am referencing here is more of the temptation to look at our everyday lives with derision, even contempt sometimes.
To be fair, doing ordinary things like cooking, cleaning, bathing, and going to work can get monotonous. There is a general tendency to reference these tasks as “chores,” as things we “have to do,” which get in the way of everything else that we want to do.
Below are a couple of thoughts on this topic, which might offer some helpful reframing of the situation:
- Chores provide us with a foundation that acts as a springboard for all the interesting things that we like to do. Brushing our teeth and bathing not only keeps us healthy, but they also allow us to be pleasant company to our friends. Cooking food to eat fuels our bodies so that we do not become “hangry” during an outing and not enjoy ourselves.
- Yes, we do “have” to do these things in order to have a well-balanced life. We also “get” to do these things. If our lives were too chaotic, we would not be able to do as many routine things as we can now. The ordinary-ness of our lives points to a certain level of stability.
Here is where gratitude comes in. Gratitude here will not feel the same as when we get the present we really wanted, nor will it feel the same as the relief we feel when we have a close call. Instead, this gratitude will have a more subtle effect. A small rephrasing of our thinking about these tasks has the possibility to brighten our days. For example:
- We still might not enjoy cleaning, but we “have the ability to clean.”
- We might have to cook, but we also “get to eat.”
Find the wording that fits best for you, and pick one daily task to try to rephrase for yourself. You might be surprised by the subtle changes over the course of a week or two.
About Ann-Marie Wingerter:
Ann-Marie is a Licensed Professional Counselor at Healthy Minds Therapy. She earned her Master of Arts in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Franciscan University of Steubenville, with a concentration in Crisis Intervention and Trauma Counseling. Ann-Marie takes an integrative and client-centered approach to therapy, drawing from cognitive behavioral (CBT) and dialectical behavioral (DBT) techniques to support her clients. She enjoys working with individuals navigating life transitions, anxiety, depression, interpersonal challenges, behavioral concerns, trauma, and obsessive-compulsive tendencies. Learn more about Ann-Marie HERE!