The Nitty Gritty

Embracing life’s overlooked details

Dear friend 

How are you feeling today?

I’m so thrilled it’s the weekend.  This past week was all about getting through my paperwork stack, yawn! I felt like I’d fallen into an admin black hole and it bored the living day lights out of me. So hooray for Saturday brunch with an old Uni friend of mine.

Again for some reason when I woke up I was pondering over the whirlwind of big birthdays, major decisions and dilemmas.  But I flipped the script and wondered about all the small stuff that needed my attention.  All the nitty gritty details that makes up my daily existence, which for me often goes unnoticed, but why?  Because aren’t they the very fabric of my life?

One second I’m lost in thought, in planning mode about which plants to buy for my bland, concrete, front garden, and then within a split second I’m stressing over the cracked tile in the bathroom that needs replacing.   I guess these seemingly insignificant elements of my surroundings speak volumes about my priorities, my time management and my state of mind.

These days I want to notice the minutiae, the boring stuff, with a critical eye and not let these moments pass me by.  This is why journaling is such a powerful tool for me and many other women.  To be able to recognise and appreciate these nitty-gritty aspects of my life brings me pure joy.  Over the years it’s allowed me to pause, to reflect and document the simple elements that shapes my daily existence.

Maybe these journaling prompts will be of use, if it’s something you’d like to further explore…

1. Describe a mundane daily ritual that you secretly enjoy.

2. What’s a small personal goal you’ve been putting off? Why?

3. What’s a minor inconvenience you faced recently?  How did you handle it?

4. Describe your view from your window right now, focusing on the tiniest details.

5. Describe the last time you felt a sudden mood shift.  What triggered it?

As the acclaimed writer Helen Garner once said “ The only thing that guarantees authentic writing is authentic living.” Her words remind me that it’s these small, authentic moments that form the basis of my most genuine experiences and reflections.  Yes, I know, I’ve got quite a girl crush on Helen Garner at the moment. I blame the wonderful

sam baker

of The Shift podcast, she interviewed Garner back in March, it’s a fabulous interview Helen Garner on marriage, divorce and why she couldn't give a monkey's about the erotic gaze

So back to my nitty gritty take on life, like my cracked bathroom tile, the bare ugly garden, the fleeting emotions - these are the threads that I’m proud to call the tapestry of my existence.  By pausing to acknowledge them and document them in my journal, I seem to gain a deeper understanding of myself and my journey.  What about you?  What’s your thoughts on all of this? I encourage you to take a moment today to look closely at your surroundings, to feel your emotions and to journal about the small things in life.  Because for doing so, you’ll be capturing the very essence of your unique, beautiful, quirky  complex life .

Until the next time

Take care and stay safe xx

Oh and here’s the prompt for Day 6 of “Journal Through July” challenge, enjoy!