In the midst of the flurry of decluttering my house and getting it ready to put on the market,a couple of major changes happened. First, I decided to take all blinds and curtains down from the windows. It brightened up the interior of the house a lot and I felt much more connected to the world outside. The second thing that happened was that I decided to stop smoking in the house. So for the past three weeks,when it’s time for a cigarette, I move out to the front porch.
Some interesting changes have resulted from this. For the first time since I started my business,I am getting up from the computer and taking breaks. I’m also much more in touch with the nature outside my house. I watch the birds swooping about,the butterflies crowding around my Buddlea (Butterfly Bush),a small treefrog that came to visit and I see my neighbours in their gardens and walking around the point. I’ve also cut down on my smoking which is a good thing. And my favourite change is that I am thinking more while I sit out on the deck. I intentionally don’t bring out anything to read or do and just think. The realization hit me that prior to these changes, I was usually staring at a screen (computer or tv),reading,or talking on the phone. In younger days,I loved thinking and would sit for long periods of time ruminating about life etc. Thinking about it now, I think I stopped the habit when I became a mother. I was always running about chasing a little girl and had little time to just sit and meditate anymore. And then of course,right around the time,my daughter graduated from high school and moved out, I was busy starting a business and thought only about that for many years.
It’s an interesting dynamic how changes begets change and these two simple changes have brought me back to such a simple habit that I enjoy so much.
