I always find the start of a new year to be very freeing. I love letting go of old habits and routines that resemble moldy bread and replacing them with fresh ones. Have you taken full advantage of the opportunity to start new in 2011?
Or, to steal a line from Jason, “Are you going through the motions in a vanilla-flavored rut-filled life?”
Speaking as a true chocoholic, I am passionate about how boring vanilla really is. (Just ask Jason.)
Simply put: ruts suck.
They cover you with dust. They destroy your ambition. They lead to boredom. And a boring life is a waste.
One of my all-time favorite quotes is about ruts:
The only difference between a rut and a grave is their dimensions. – Ellen Glasgow
We are meant to live a grand adventure — one that brings us a range of emotions throughout our day-to-day — not a flatline existence. One that requires us to risk, dream, and laugh hysterically. One that gifts us with faith, hope and love.
Are you living this adventure?
If not, know that it takes some effort — some good ‘ol fashioned blood, sweat and tears. It takes asking the hard questions even when you know the answers might be difficult to hear. It takes working harder than you ever imagined at something that may not pay off. It takes loving and forgiving when all logic tells you otherwise.
Jason and I will be celebrating our 11th year of “happily ever after” this May. With a toddler in tow and a thriving business, it’s easy to find ourselves glossy-eyed by 9:00 PM when the house is finally still. And yet, this is our daily “couple time.” I have been hungry for some “adventure” (my 2011 “Word for the Year“)
So, in an effort to spice things up and to jump out of the grave, I mean rut, Jason and I are implementing what I fondly call our “Jars of Joy.” I bought two jars at Michael’s and cut up a bunch of small slips of paper. On each piece of paper Jason and I write something that the other person can do for the other to bring them some joy. They are simple, often overlooked things that the other person loves but often goes without because of the busyness of the day-to-day. A back rub, drawing a bubble bath, breakfast in bed, homemade cherry pie (Jason’s fav), movie-of-your-choice night, head massage, free evening of childcare, etc.
These simple jars will help us get out of our daily ruts that are inevitable if you’re not at least trying to break free.
What’s your “jar of joy” this year? What are you doing to spice up your life and break out of your ruts?
Well said Kim!