Honestly, even little things like seeing that pile of laundry I need to put away, or stepping on one of the kids' toys for the hundredth time can cause my face to snap into a scowl faster than a speeding bullet. There are days I'd like to forget, days I'd like to start over, days that drag on forever... these are the days in which joy is extremely important.
I don't always choose joy. In fact, I choose to wallow in my misery more often than I'd like to admit. The fact that I can admit this is a huge step in moving forward to more joyous days ahead. When we can admit we have a problem and when we choose to tackle that problem, God can do miraculous things to our hearts. Prayer and repentance are powerful!
There are other practical ways you can lessen your stress in the day to day. Here are some I've grabbed hold of and I have found to be very helpful in my journey to enjoying even the most mundane of days:
1. Allow your kids to help. This was hard for me. I wanted things done my way, and let's face it: a child who is learning new skills isn't going to get it just right. I had to train myself to let go of my desire for perfection all while training my children how to tackle different chores around the house. It can be done. Your house might not belong on the cover of a magazine, but jobs will get done and you won't have to accomplish the impossible to make that happen. You'll have more time to play with and enjoy your kids if you just let them help you.
2. Do a little bit of everything every day. I used to have "laundry days." That was the biggest struggle for me. I would dread laundry day. It would take up so much of my time and I felt like I couldn't enjoy myself while sorting, washing, drying, folding, and putting clothes away all day. So I do a load or two every day. Problem solved. Laundry gets done quickly, and I don't have a heaping pile of stinky mess to deal with. Of course, I backslide in this sometimes, so if you show up to my house one day and see piles of folded laundry on my couch, don't say I didn't warn you! As long as I keep a steady flow of work going each day, things don't get so overwhelming.
3. Start your day in prayer. I notice that when I start my day in prayer and time spent with the Lord, my days run much, much smoother. If I'm having a particularly bad day, I think back to what I have done. That key ingredient is usually missing. Now, I'm not saying that your days will be perfect every time you start your day in prayer, but I am saying that you will open your heart to hear the Lord's prompting when situations arise where you need to make a choice about how you'll react. Our reactions definitely determine the direction of our day.
4. Take a long, hard look at the choices you are making. Are the kids in your hair? Do you look around to see that a tornado has hit your living room? When things start getting a bit crazy, determine the cause and find a solution. Typically if my kids are going bonkers, that means I've spent a little too much time chatting with friends on Facebook, and not enough time being Mom. Or maybe I've put too much effort into cleaning house and not enough time face to face, showing my children how much I love them. It's hard to admit when you've checked out, and I understand that some days that is totally necessary for a short period of time. If it is happening too frequently, or for long periods of time, your day can turn sour. I know. Been there, done that.
How have you learned to bring a smile to your face while tackling the issues of every day life? I'm always ready to open my heart to new ways of embracing joy in the day to day.
~Em
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