I know what you’re thinking; that title doesn’t sound enticing, right? The word chore alone sends out negative vibes. However, I hope by the end of this challenge, you feel differently.
Each day there is at least one chore we must do that we tell ourselves we hate. We dread thinking that we have to spend our precious time doing it. However, have you ever done a chore mindfully?
When I was a child, it was my chore to do the dishes. My brother would eat peanut butter and leave part of it on the spoon for me to clean. Because he was a brother, he would often do this right when I was doing dishes then drop his spoon into the sink I had filled with water. I loathed going into that water to find that spoon and the feeling of washing the peanut butter from it. It was so mushy, sticky, and plain disgusting. From that moment on, I made the decision that I hated doing dishes.
When I left home at eighteen, the first thing I would inquire about when renting an apartment was, does it have a dishwasher? I planned on never washing dishes again. Through the years, I tried wholeheartedly to do that. Not a pot, pan, or a piece of silverware. Everything went into the dishwasher. If any dish did not come clean (and usually several attempts were made), I would complain to myself about having to hand wash it.
Then a few months ago, I noticed my dishwasher was not cleaning the way it should. No matter how many times I ran the dishes through the cycle, they were coming out dirty. (Special note, I have hard water. After living here for twenty years, I have had to replace about four dishwashers because of it, and before long, that number will be five.) As the dishes started piling up, I decided to wash them by hand.
However, this time I decided to do it mindfully.
I didn’t complain to myself; rather, I told myself I’m doing these dishes, and it’s going to be so much fun. Surprisingly, it wasn’t as bad as I had made it out all these years. As I spent this time being present, I noticed how much I loved the warm water and suds on my hands. Why had I never noticed this before? I was thoroughly enjoying this time. I even sang some tunes while I practiced being mindful.
Since this day, I almost look forward to doing the dishes. It’s another time I can stay present. I listen to my audible books, sing, or even repeating motivational mantras to help me enjoy this chore even more.
Your mindfulness challenge for the week is to do a chore.
If you are keeping a mindfulness journal of your challenges, you can print this week’s worksheet here.
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- Think about a chore that you’ve convinced yourself you despise. Write it down.
- Ask yourself why you’ve always hated this chore. What limiting beliefs arise when you think about doing this chore?
- Next, prepare yourself to do this chore. Change your mindset about this chore by not complaining that you must do it. Instead, try telling yourself that you are going to enjoy this time and use it to practice being mindful.
- As you go about doing your chore, pay close attention to what you love about it. Is there anything you can find that does make this chore more enjoyable?
- When you are finished, sit for a moment and reflect. Write down any thoughts that have about doing this chore. Did you enjoy doing it more, or do you still despise it?
Remember, there are no wrong answers. Being mindful doesn’t mean we love everything we do and are positive about it. It’s about being present and discovering what is meant for us and what is not.
If you are on Instagram, check out this month’s giveaway at Mindfully Ela. I am giving away a Good Days Start with Gratitude Journal and other fun items. To enter to win these great prizes, all you must do is follow Mindfully Ela on either Facebook or Instagram then sign up here for my weekly mindfulness challenges.
Other articles from this past week:
Best Self-Development Journals for 2020
Abhyanga, Self-Care For Chronic Pain
Peace & Love,
Ela
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