You know that thing?

That thing you used to do.

The thing that was so helpful.

It made you happier.

Saner.

More rested.

More joyful.

It brought you a sense of peace.

You know.

That thing you used to do.

The happiness that’s right under your nose.

What was it?

Maybe it was the gift of good night’s sleep—a bedtime you held sacred.

A creative project that you always worked on, a bit at a time.

A regular trip to the gym.

That Tuesday yoga class.

Time in the kitchen to play, experiment, and create new, nourishing recipes.

That vacation you planned yearly.

Those guilt-free naps.

Time in your garden.

It may be none of these things.

But you probably had that thing you did,

once upon a time,

a thing that was good,

and wholesome,

and nourishing

that you’ve since abandoned.

Even if you’re quite sure you have no such thing, never ever ever, well… okay.  I challenge you.

Now’s your chance to pick something you’ve often imagined yourself doing.

Pick something you said you would do if you had the time or the inclination.  Let today be the day you begin.

Why did you stop?

What happened?

Life happened.  You quit making time for it.

Or maybe you didn’t think it was helping anymore.

Perhaps you outgrew it, or found something better.

Maybe something happened, and you had to give it up– even if you didn’t want to.

Or did you just… stop?  For no good reason?  That happens a lot.

The reason doesn’t much matter.

This is an invitation to reclaim those good pieces gone missing.

How to proceed

There’s no need to reinvent the wheel, here.

You have wisdom, practices, knowledge buried in your past of things you used to cherish.

Go back to that.

Look for those habits, rituals, and relationships that used to bring you joy.

Make a list—but don’t force it.

Once you review the list, you may find things that still don’t fit.

Things that you let fall by the wayside for a reason.

Things you maybe aren’t ready to try again just yet.

That’s fine—leave those be.

But are there any hidden gems glimmering there?

Practices waiting to be reclaimed?  Things you sort of forgot about, ’til now?

Seize those.

Find your abandoned tools.

The yoga mat in your closet.

The gym membership card in your wallet.

Your crockpot, your cooking utensils.

Your art supplies.

And don’t be afraid to ask for help.

You may need help from a partner or friend to help create the structure you need to bring this practice back into your life.

An impromptu nap may seem more like a small miracle now that you have children, for example.  So ask for help.  Make it happen.

You can do this, if it matters to you.  If you matter to you.

Even if you had a cherished practice you had to abandon, there may be some piece of it you can now reclaim.  Some way to modify it, to make an old thing new.

Or perhaps it is time to cultivate a new interest, something to replace what was lost.

Set an intention.

Pick this little piece of joy back up.

And to take the steps needed to make it happen.

Try it with me

Give yourself a few weeks to try it—maybe just ‘til the end of the month.

See how it treats you.  See how it does.

As for me?  I used to practice yoga.

I went hunting for my mat the other day and found a deep sense of peace after a brief, 20 minute practice.

Feeling a little rusty?  Have a pile of stuff and don’t know how to begin?

Try looking on YouTube for videos to help you get started.

Whether it’s a yoga practice or a crafting project, you’re sure to find some helpful tips there.

And some stuff you won’t need any guidance or help.  Give yourself a chance and you’ll just fall back into it, easy as pie.

Good luck!