Day 16: Backwards
Since I’m already on the topic of lists, I might as well get this out of the way.
Today’s little change was to start at the bottom of my to-do list, where all the inconsequential tasks linger. Things like rehanging a piece of art that got taken down when a wall needed to be repaired a few months ago, decluttering and reorganizing the linen closet for the sake of making it more pleasing to the eye. Little things. Little things that, in the spirit of Day 6, will cumulatively go a long way in helping me enjoy my time here.
Day 15: Plan
A new month! Signs of spring! Optimism!
Bear with me, it’s hard to write a post about making plans at the tail end of a year spent cancelling them. Where to begin?
If you’ve been reading along since Day 1, I’m sure it’s already clear that I’m a meticulous list keeper. I’m also someone who delights in making plans. Mapping and parcelling things out. Crossing things off lists. Task complete, goal achieved.
I don’t think anyone needs to read more about how difficult making plans in the context of a global pandemic is. We’re all dealing with this. The words “not favourable” come to mind, and that’s sugarcoating it. Nevertheless, today’s little change was to reassess old plans and make new ones in spite of the circumstances. This too shall pass.
Day 14: Yoga
A milestone! Two weeks of little changes! It’s hard to put into words just yet, but I think this process is working its magic. There’s something about the intentionality of it. A renewed sense of purpose after a year of being caught in a pandemic induced cycle of resigning to and resisting circumstances.
Today’s change was extra tiny, but for the first time since I’ve started this, it involved signing up for something and showing up. No, it was not my first yoga class, but it was the first time I’ve signed myself up for yoga nidra, something that has been on my to-do list for YEARS. I’m not kidding.
I have no good excuse for this other than the fact that I’m a creature of habit. Even in the era of Zoom yoga classes, I’ve continued to sign up for classes that were part of my routine and they’ve certainly helped me keep my head above water through the worst of this mess. On the one hand, there’s an element of seeking comfort in what is familiar that should be acknowledged and honoured. On the other, there’s an element of overreliance that needs to be disrupted. Gently.
Day 13: Out
I needed to get out of my apartment, so I called someone with a good grasp of local geography and had them assign a destination for a long drive. Somewhere I hadn’t been before.
The change of scenery helped. Might do it again next weekend.
Day 12: Covers
As I was doing the dishes after dinner, I thought about all the things I had left on my list for the month. My enthusiasm for starting a new project at the end of the day was non-existent. I’m too sleepy for any of this.
For some reason, my mind kept wandering to the ritual of bedtime stories and then it occurred to me: if all I want to do is get in bed, close my eyes, and have someone read to me, why don’t I make that happen? The selection of audiobooks and podcasts floating around the internet is limitless!
Today’s little change is a throwback to the clock radio in my childhood bedroom, that, like every other radio in the house, was permanently tuned to the CBC. For years, a show called Between the Covers aired just as I settled into bed. Each night, a reassuring, faceless voice would read me a portion of a book, transport me to another place, and lull me to sleep. Though it hasn’t ever occurred to me to recreate that for myself, I still think about that show often. To have someone, anyone, even a total stranger, read to you is (at least in my humble opinion) the most beautiful ending to a day.