Cinderelly, Cinderelly

 It seems that every time I sit down to write this, something needs taking care of, whether it's dishes, baking, making dinner, tidying.. sounds a bit familiar.

;)

And I used to get so annoyed that all these little tasks needed completing, especially when there was something I had in mind to get done that day, like an art project or reading a certain book.

Of course, no one likes to do chores, they're all very bothersome in their own way.  Even since we were young that word has had a negative connotation in our daily lives.  As kids all we wanted to do was play, and any kind of interruption, be it work or even lunch, would add to the resentment we felt for anything but the thing we wanted to be doing.  Now at our ages when responsibilities become ever more present it seems the only thing we want to do to be at peace is to escape them.

But I've found that they're actually the key to achieving peace.

I know, I'm crazy.  And do I always practice what I preach?  Absolutely not.  I'm a lazy nugget, what can I say?!  Perseverence is a funny thing, it comes and goes at the worst of times, but if I did have it all the time, this is what I would do.

Get Up Early

Rising with the sun is no ride in the park for me... but it's worth it every time I fight the sleepiness and trudge out of bed.  

As G. K. Chesterton very honestly stated,

"Daybreak is a never-ending glory... getting out of bed is a never-ending nuisance."

I feel that in my soul.. just not as much as the satisfaction of an early start.  Not only does it give you a sense of discipline, but it also leaves all of the hours of the day ahead with time enough to do everything.  Imagine feeling like you can't run out of daylight until all your daily tasks are done! There's also a rare beauty in having a cup of coffee and saying morning prayers at 6:30 while the rest of the world seems to be slumbering, and it's quite invigorating.

Make Your Bed

Yep.  It's a very simple task.  I'm sure many of you already do, but for those of us who don't, it's time to make this a habit.  Why?  I for one love using the excuse that of course I don't need to really make it up, I'll just be under the covers again before you know it.  But what it does is start the day with a sense of accomplishment.  There is a task before you, plain and simple, and you complete it all with a few quick sweeps and tucks.  It really does improve your mindset for the rest of the day.  It also makes your whole room look so much neater that you can't help but be happier.

Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner

I need to be reminded often how important these are.  Not just to eat them, but to invest effort in them.  Don't be afraid to cook a meal, and then another, and then another.  With so many fast or frozen food options these days, it's easy to become lazy in the kitchen and shy away from a recipe that takes more than 30 minutes.  If it looks good, try it!  Dreading the dishes?  Do them as you go.  I mean, constantly.  If you use a cup and spoon, don't set them in the sink, scrub 'em off and set 'em to dry.  It makes the end result so much less intimidating.  And that really is the worst part of making a meal, the rest can never be so hard.  Besides...

"Anyone can cook." ~Chef Geusteau, Ratatouille ;)

Make a List of Goals

Be it for the day or the upcoming week, a list of to-do's always keeps me on track.  Making a list in itself is a tedious chore sometimes, but so is mapping the route on a road trip.  Well, used to be... but you get the idea.  Taking the time to compile tasks, groceries, hobbies, everything in your head to be accomplished can make it all seem much less daunting and much more doable.  If I try to look at everything in my mind at once, I tend to feel like this:

Taking your daily tasks one step at a time can help give you a clear and focused mind with which to complete them, and a sense of completion once you make the list itself.

Clean Your House Regularly

If it helps, whistle while you work, or put on the song that turns your broom into a microphone.  The hallway's your stage.  The more you clean, the less you have to do it.  Funny how that works.  Set a day or two each week that you know you'll clean more than a quick tidy: dust, vacuum, sweep, wash the towels and forgotten loads.  As you create habits of cleaning, you'll find yourself almost volunteering to do it.  A clean house is a happy house.  So is a lived-in one; my opinion is no home should always look like a studio out of a magazine, but that's a bit of a different matter, and one for a very different post.

And that's it!

Just those 5 things??  Surely there has to be more.  In the long run, yes, much more will have to receive attention.  However, starting small is often what it takes to achieve greatness.  We've all been told big vices start with small ones, which of course are, simply put, very bad habits.  If this can be done with bad, it only makes sense it can be done with good.  The catch here is that it takes firm resolve and fortitude to break bad habits and build good ones.  It takes effort.  On certain days that's more than some of us can muster.  But the more effort you put into the little things, the less effort they'll eventually need.  Pray for the strength each morning to rise and complete the chores ahead of you.  Once you do these simple things, all the rest will start to fall into place.  Naturally, if you rise early, you'll be tired enough to hit the hay at a decent hour.  Cooking meals can lead to lots of leftovers which in turn provide easy lunches.  Planning can give your head the space it needs to focus on not just work, but also play, whatever that may be for you.  It all starts in the little things.

You have what it takes.  Now get to work.