I think we can all agree that 2020 has been a rollercoaster year. Almost every aspect of our lives has been forced to change in some way over the last six months, and we simply were not expecting any of this.

Adjusting to life during the pandemic has brought an onslaught of emotions, with overwhelm being near the top of that list for many of us.

When we’re in this state –– feeling like there’s too much to do and we don’t know where to start –– the best thing we can do is start somewhere. Anywhere. 

In fact, the smaller the task, the better. Clean one drawer. Open one piece of mail sitting on your desk. Do one load of laundry. Walk around one block. 

Here’s why. Everything we do, and don’t do, is connected. Our thoughts are the common denominator to all of our actions. Whatever we are thinking when we decide to do one load of dishes is the same thought pattern that will eventually lead us to tackling the bigger things in life –– the move, the relationship, the new job.

If we look at the dishes example, our thoughts may sound something like “I’ll just get this done so it will be clean before I start making dinner.” That thought creates a feeling of accomplishment. You start doing the dishes. Maybe even take a swipe at cleaning the counters. Before you know it, dishes are done and you’re no longer frustrated with a messy kitchen. 

Contrast that with the thought “Ugh, I’ll worry about it tomorrow.” Does that thought propel you into taking action? Nope. Not at all.

These instances seem small, innocuous. But when we slow down and look at what we’re thinking in these everyday moments, we start gaining awareness about how our mind operates. And when we see how our mind operates, we can practice choosing what we want to think.

Choosing our thoughts changes everything.

So this week, start with something small. Because in the end, it really isn’t small at all. The way we think about one thing is the way we can think about anything in our lives. From dishes to our biggest dreams –– it all starts with a single thought.