12 Tiny Things for an Intentional 2022
Here we are at the close of another year…often a time of reflection and goal setting for the next twelve months. Ellie and I aren’t big fans of New Years Resolutions, so this isn’t going to be a list of things we think you should overhaul as a new year begins. Rather, it’s a list of tiny things that we have found to be helpful in staying true to our roots and grounded in what matters most. As in our book, I’d invite you to try these on as you like, keep what fits, and set aside what doesn’t. (If you’ve read 12 Tiny Things, you’ll find this list is based on the themes found in its pages.) Mix and match to identify the combination of small, intentional acts that work for you. There’s no one size fits all when it comes to intentional living. There’s just what fits for you in this season of life.
Practice consent. This means giving a hearty yes when you feel called toward something. This also means saying a firm no to that which isn’t yours, to that which you don’t want, and to that which you’re ready to let go. The tiny thing: Make friends with one boundary.
Be where you are. At least some of the time - planning ahead and reflecting on what’s already happened is an important part of a full life for most, but a great many of us spend more time in the past and future than we do in the present. Since the present is where life unfolds, it makes sense to be there more often than not. The tiny thing: Press pause and notice your physical surroundings with all of your senses for 60 seconds. Repeat as is useful.
Notice your attention, and where it goes. This is a lot like #2 of course, but it’s important enough to say it in more than one way. What gets attention tends to grow, so ensure you’re helping the good stuff thrive. The tiny thing: Take one deep breath, and pay attention to how the air fills your lungs on the inhale and follow it as it leaves your body when you breathe out.
Savor. Be it food, cold water, or fine wine, engage in mindfulness when doing so is possible. Appreciate fully where your nourishment comes from and delight in how it fills you up. The tiny thing: Experience eating with your whole self.
Get comfortable. That is to say, wear clothes that fit well and shoes that support your movement. Align your daily activities with what’s important to you, and make sure you’re setting yourself up for feeling your best while doing it. The tiny thing[s]: Donate any clothes or shoes that don’t feel good when you wear them & spend at least a portion of each day wrapped in something comfortable.
Opt Outside. Spend more time outside that you think you should soaking up natural light and fresh air. Time in nature is healing, and even in the city, wildness is accessible by looking up at the sky. The tiny thing: Go outside and look all the way up.
Write with a pen. Digital technology and communication is fantastic, don’t get me wrong. Yet so is the act of putting pen to paper and crafting a physical message to somebody you care about, or noting the things that went on during the day just for you in a journal. The tiny thing: Write a letter or jot in a journal. Reawaken your handwriting muscles.
Be on the lookout for astonishment. Be it gratitude for home, family, friends, pets, health, enough food on the table, whatever the case may be…notice those little bits of good and let yourself be surprised by the power of thankfulness. The tiny thing: Name something that’s good about life right now.
Explore pleasure. From sensation to scent, see if you can identify what your physical body truly likes. Then give yourself the gift of experiencing it at the intervals that work best for you. The tiny thing: Make a list of things that make you feel good. Do one of them.
Try something new. Get out drawing pencils, mixing bowls, an old guitar or clarinet, and bring a new bit of art into being. Plant some heirloom seeds, mow spirals in the yard, make a collage of fallen leaves, build a bird house. The possibilities are endless because a human can only truly be really good at a limited number of things. The tiny thing: Exercise your creativity in a medium that’s new to you. Even if you’re very bad at it.
Read. Expand your mind, learn, grow. Deepen your knowledge on something. The tiny thing: Find a book on your shelf you’ve been meaning to get to. Read the first chapter. Repeat with all chapters.
Reach out. To a neighbor you don’t know well, an old friend you haven’t seen in years, your kid’s friend’s mom, an elder at church. Extend yourself to another and accept whatever is returned. The tiny thing: Ask someone how they are doing and really listen to the answer. Tell the truth when someone asks you.
For the full 12 Tiny Things experience, pick up a copy of 12 Tiny Things: Simple Ways of Living a More Intentional Life.
