February 7th - Use The Good Stuff - Myrrhmade Love Where You Are Challenge Day 7!

    February 7th - Welcome to day 7 of the Myrrhmade Love Where You Are Challenge! 

Come on in and join us!

 Day 7: Use The Good Stuff

You've got some nice things. They're nicer than your everyday things although not necessarily more expensive. You may use them for special occasions, or worry about using them because they might break.

These things often have sentimental value and usually have a layer of dust.

I'm here to break the good news! There's ALWAYS something to celebrate. The more we focus on and celebrate our wins and find the good parts of our lives and focus on being grateful for them, the more of our lives we enjoy. We can intentionally direct our thoughts and our habits toward ones that feel better and increase the total amount of our minutes of each day we spend feeling better and loving where we are. 

While much of our emotional lives are on autopilot reacting to the world coming at us, we can get behind the steering wheel of our minds, build the neural pathways that lead to more enjoyment, and opt for a better feeling experience.

Daily Challenge: Use the good stuff.

Whether it's the pretty china, the fancy glasses, the nice linen napkins, the good vinegar and salad oil, or even the good whiskey, use the good stuff.

It's better to get more enjoyment out of less but better than stretching yourself like too little butter over too much bread. 

If you're interested in more about the idea of "less but better" I recommend Greg McKeown's book Essentialism. It really helped me shift my thinking from saying "yes" to too much and helped me distill my workflow. We always have more options than we can take so it's important to choose the ones that move us forward and bring us closer to our ideals and our goals.

Life is uncertain, and far too short to delay using things that make us feel good. We have these things in our lives for a reason. If they're your grandmother's plates, celebrate her! If drinking seltzer out of a fancy glass helps you feel a little bit more like a human being and not just a housekeeper/maid/short-order cook/chauffeur, use the good stuff!

It doesn't take much to elevate an ordinary meal to something to relish and savor. It often only takes simple things that we already have and a few extra moments of effort. Tea or coffee can become a latte, a few capers or olives can elevate a salad, using a fancy teacup can change your experience for the better.

It doesn't take much effort to turn bread and water into tea and toast.

Daily Mindset Mantra: There's always something to celebrate!

As you go throughout your day, celebrate! Use the good stuff!

While using the good stuff you can celebrate being alive, that Spring is coming soon, that you have food and clothing and shelter, that you have people that love you, that you have people to love, and a whole lot of other amazing things that other people are still hoping to have in their lives someday. 

Bonus task:

Figure out a way to incorporate more of the good stuff into your daily or weekly life. 

Few families have a formal meal, nevermind an elegant meal together even every week. For those of us living without another adult around, it's easy to get stuck on what's necessary and feel as though we're running around with a fire extinguisher much of the time. Even if it's not something you do with your family or loved ones, how can you get more enjoyment out of your everyday moments? 

How can you make it easier to use the things you already own that you love and enjoy? 

My experience: 

This is something I've been intentionally working on lately, and today was no exception.

Having a special glass that I use for water and seltzer (as I'm not really drinking anything else these days) has helped me to find my own balance and raise my experience beyond some of the drudge work of solo parenting. 

While the girls take an occasional sip, they're incredibly respectful of the way that I'm treating myself with more value and respect. We each deserve to use the nice things, the good stuff. 

My favorite plates aren't the fanciest plates I own but they bring me joy every time I open the cupboard. We often just grab some of the older dishtowels to use as napkins because my dining companions are still learning how to not spill all over the table regularly. Today I made sure to use the good napkins.

What little upgrades can you make just using things you already own? How can you get more enjoyment out of the things you already have? How can you treat yourself with more love and care without even spending a dime? 

Let me know how you do in the comments! 

Make sure to check back here tomorrow for the next challenge, the next tips, and the next dose of the Myrrhmade Love Where You Are Challenge.

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