One of my rituals for each new year is to choose a word to influence me for the year. My word for 2011 is EXPERIMENT. To support my EXPERIMENTAL focus, I commit to post the results of a new experiment each Sunday of this year.
This week’s experiment may seem like the most ridiculous one yet, but it’s amazing how much I learned from it.
I’m right-handed. So, for a week, I brushed my teeth with my left hand. I even applied the tooth paste with my left hand.
Simple, but not easy.
The first couple of days, I was astounded by how much I had to concentrate. It did get easier, but the mindfulness continued.
Shifting this twice-a-day ritual taught me:
- I take the basics very much for granted;
- when I’m uncomfortable, I want to rush – and that never works out well;
- when I goof up, my initial instinct is ALWAYS to look around to see if anyone saw (yep, even in my bathroom – what’s up with THAT?);
- even after becoming a bit more proficient, that unnatural feeling never went away;
- I don’t like that unnatural feeling;
- just because I physically CAN do something, doesn’t mean I have to; and
- one seemingly insignificant shift made me very aware of how many things I do mindLESSly.
So… while I have shifted back to my right hand for oral hygiene, I’m paying much closer attention to how very important the other seemingly insignificant parts of my life are.
What kind of lessons have the seemingly insignificant taught you?
Lisa’s Cheap Therapy blog 
A year ago, I was told I sprained my knee, was given crutches, and sent home to “rest”. Turns out I completely tore my ACL and tore my lateral meniscus. One year later, two arthroscopy surgeries, and lots of time to think….I realize just how much I miss walking. Taking a step and not worrying if I’m gonna fall or not. I’m in PT once again and hope and pray that I’m going to continue to progress this time. I always took walking for granted …you stand up and go. No thought process at all……I’ll never take it for granted again……promise!
Sitting out on my front porch just listening and watching has taught me just how “noisy” quiet is.
My front porch time has shown/taught me to “be still and know God”. Quiet isn’t really quiet afterall, but when I’m still, I am open to the noise of quiet and all it holds!
dumbest thing ever…the hubs thinks he is king of the grill. However, he burns everything to carbon from hot dogs to chicken and beef. I finally figured out by running out of bbq sauce and proceeding full steam ahead, that if I don’t let him put sauce on anything before he cooks it it doesn’t get carbonized. Bring on the dry rubs!
I know, silly, but I really hate eating charcoal briquets….. rox, the running rabbit.
Marjorie, here’s to healing!
Judi, here’s to front porches!
and Rox, here’s to dry rubs (and hubbies who cook :))!
thanks, ya’ll…