It’s that time of year where most people make New Years resolutions to improve or change some aspect of their life. After all, we recognize that we aren’t perfect, yet we believe we should be. It’s the all or nothing attitude that makes us feel like we have to make sweeping changes to our lives or else everyone including ourselves will see us as failures.

It’s time to stop this destructive thinking. So this year instead of big resolutions I propose we all think about the little things we can do to make our lives better.

At first glance the little things don’t seem to add up to much. I found this poem, which many of you may be familiar with, that can help put the little things into perspective.

Little Drops of Water

Little drops of water,
Little grains of sand,
Make the mighty ocean,
And the beauteous land.

Little deeds of kindness,
Little words of love,
Make our earth an Eden,
Like the heaven above.

And the little moments,
Humble though they be,
Make the mighty ages,
Of eternity.

by Mrs. J. A. Carney (1845)

So this year I’m making a resolution to focus on the little things I can do to declutter my home and life. It could be each time I go in a room I’ll take a moment to stop and look around to see what 5 things I can put away, throw away, or give away.

I will focus on drinking a glass of water instead of grabbing a piece of candy or cookie in the middle of the afternoon. If I’m truly hungry I’ll have one piece of fruit. As I keep adding more small changes I know the extra pounds will slowly go away.

These “little” changes, like the little drops of water or little grains of sand are what will add up to make our lives more of what we want them to be.

So what little change can you make today, and tomorrow, and the next day? Please share the changes you want to make. Your ideas may be that little deed of kindness that can help someone get out of the “all or nothing” destructive way of thinking.

Janice