dothedishes

It’s the little things that make a difference and it’s the difference that makes things little.

My mom never set well with a dirty house. Although we had good habits, our living areas were more prone to clutter. As a family of artists, we were constantly working on our projects. Sometimes the inspirations made their way into a recipe and the dishes grew to cover all of the counter surfaces in the kitchen. My mom couldn’t tolerate a messy kitchen and prioritized having a clean home before we could go anywhere. I spent hundreds of hours reluctantly leaning against the sink, dipping, scrubbing, and inspecting.

The task was such a regular activity that i began to notice how i grew from the experience. I recognized that taking the time to complete the relatively small feat, by comparison to the other problems i was addressing in everyday living, proved rewarding and beneficial to the perspective i held of what i was able to do. Finding the willpower to do something unappealing can reduce negative feelings associated with the task, especially when the task warrants positive outcomes. I also noticed that doing the dishes became a meditative mode for my mind to fall into which helped me organize my thoughts and become productive in the ways i desired. Seemingly mindless tasks can turn into insightful explorations of understanding...or give your friend who’s still learning to cook a task in the kitchen during dinner prep.

p.s. i planned to insert a plug on water conservation, but as it turns out, if you’ve got an energy star certified dishwasher you’ll save more...to be truly next level tho..

~ocean