Local shopping and 3 good things
My oldest darling India, is in year 10 now … but in Grade 5 she had a teacher (thanks Nicole) who suggested that naming 3 good things each day was a helpful practise for your mental health. And a good conversation starter. Indi brought this advice home. Since then we’ve been doing this pretty regularly. If we sit down together for afternoon tea. Or at dinner time.
When we first started the kids were a bit silly about it, with lists like 1. recess, 2. lunch and 3. home time. But even these responses gave me a chance to ask questions. What happened at recess that was fun? Who did you play with today? etc. Creating a little bit of space for us all to stop and listen to each other. And start conversations that could lead anywhere …
5+ years later the kids can always come up with a good list instantly, and it truly makes my heart sing that the positive is right there front and centre in their minds. They get it that the joy can be tiny, and that actually whatever they say is ok …
So, 3 good things.
This lockdown at our house we have fallen in to just shopping locally, which for us means Station Street. No Coles. No Aldi. No Woolies.
The good things that I think about when I head down there?
The walk itself
Knowing that we are supporting local businesses, and
The chance to (hopefully) say hello to neighbourhood friends along the way!
Also … this lavender in our street cheers me up every single time I pass by.