My dad used to tell us, "There is no good and no bad, things just are as they are. It's all about the perspective you choose." The logic of it always made sense, but was hard to embrace when steaming with frustration.
Recently I was pulling the same weeds that seem to find a way to come back every year, no matter how much I mulched. My first impulse was to be annoyed at how this seems to be a never ending task.
Then I was reminded of some recent wisdom I'd heard from Ellen Langer on a podcast, "Mindful attention can can give you greater access to understanding and make it easier to choose a positive perspective."
I leaned in closer and studied the tiny purple blooms on the chickweed. I watched the stems blowing in the breeze and thought about how good it felt. I noticed how easily the roots pulled out compared to trying to yank out the long deep root of a dandelion. Weirdly, recognizing this, the task suddenly felt lighter — even enjoyable.
The weeds didn’t change. My perspective did.
Maybe this is true for more than just weeds.
The to-dos that pile up.
The delayed plans.
The clutter that creeps back in after you just tidied.
They might never fully go away — like chickweed in spring. But what if the weight of them could shift simply by choosing to see them differently?
Mindfulness doesn’t mean pretending everything’s perfect. Rather, it beckons you to look again. And again. Pausing long enough to notice something new.
Allowing softness to creep in through curiosity. And in the process finding a doorway to a better feeling.
And the beautiful part? You don’t have to wait for the “big” moments to practice this. You can begin in the everyday — with your coffee, your walk, or even your weeds.
More ease, joy, or simply a new lens on life, is often readily available — right where you are.
Life is always happening. The question is — how do you want to see it?
With love and a freshly weeded heart, Julie
I can easily flip the script on what's happening in my life.
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This art from Natalie Brite
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