One morning last week, I caught myself unloading the dishwasher - while I was brushing my teeth.
I know exactly how it happened.
Toothbrush in hand, in an effort to be expeditious, I walked into the kitchen to start the electric kettle so that the water would be ready when I was. I pushed the start button on the kettle with one hand, while I was brushing my teeth with the other. I do this most mornings.
It must be that I then noticed the dishwasher was still closed from the night before - clean and closed - so I leaned over to open the door and pull out the racks in order to give the things inside a chance to dry.
And I guess one thing led to another, like a fever dream, until I was putting away the plates while I was brushing my teeth. Luckily, I caught myself.
Let me tell you the surest way to interfere with feeling more connected to the good things in our lives: multi-tasking.
Also, and related: hurrying.
I am a life-long hurrying multi-tasker. Perhaps in recent years, a recovering hurrying multi-tasker, but clearly I have a long way to go.
The very first step toward feeling more connected to the good things in our lives is noticing the good things in our lives. And it is very hard to notice much of anything when you have your toothbrush in one hand and the dinner plates in the other.
Maybe there was a beautiful sunrise out my kitchen window that morning? I wouldn’t know because my brain was already busy with two discreet tasks at the same time - no space for looking out the window. Maybe there was birdsong? Again, I wouldn’t know.
When our brains are occupied with hurrying or multi-tasking or scrolling or worrying - it doesn’t matter if we are occupied with important business or nonsense, we are simply less available for noticing. Everything goes by in a blur.
Think about it. Imagine you’re on the train, or in the passenger seat of the car barreling down the highway. When you look out the window, the landscape is whizzing by; it’s literally a blur.
Sometimes a blur is beautiful. I do love the view out the window of the train, but it’s moving too quickly to truly notice.
Which is why I’m here today to say slow down.
Even if you’re not brushing your teeth and emptying the dishwasher, still. Can you do something a little bit more slowly? Can you do one thing at a time instead of two? Or three?
I’m trying, friends. Will you join me?
I wonder what we’ll notice along the way.
Monday:
Sweater weather.
Leftovers for lunch.
I finished a tedious task this afternoon, and now I can move on to a more fun part of the project I’m working on this week.
Now you? Tell me 3 good things?
Xo.
