What does your daily grind look like for you? How do you practice goodness within this mundane activity?
The Daily Grind
Recently, I blogged about how actions matter in small details no matter how insignificant they seem. Activity and behaviors that we do regularly and that often go unnoticed are known as the daily grind. This pattern is the stuff we do relentlessly, over and over again. There is nothing sexy about the daily grind; roll up your sleeves and get it done, making small increments of progress along the way.
How intentional are we about our daily actions? How can they be opportunities to practice goodness and love?
Practice Goodness
The no-big-deal kinds of actions in life are the landscape for honing your integrity. It is the place where your intention meets your work. In other words, the daily grind is where there is no space between your walk and your talk.
How do we put our love in action and practice goodness in the mundane? What can we do at this moment?
Gestures that seem insignificant offer a weight of profound love and goodness. Here are a few suggestions:
- Helping a neighbor with groceries or packages
- Anonymously paying for a stranger’s coffee or lunch
- Being respectful of other drivers on the road (choosing not to respond to road rage with anger)
- Shaking a veteran’s hand and thanking them for their service
- Reflecting on how to best contribute to a conversation before speaking
- Stopping to listen to a person’s story, especially an older person who is alone and does not have many opportunities to tell their story
The Daily People
There are people we encounter throughout our daily grind. How do we treat them? Do we know their names? Do we greet them with a smile? Who are they? People who:
- Deliver our mail
- Help us with house cleaning or lawn maintenance
- Care for our children or grandchildren
- Check-out or bag our groceries
- Deliver our Amazon packages
- Make our lattes and coffee
- People in public places of transit (airport, taxi, bus or train station)
- Gas station attendants
- The local fire department and police officers who patrol our neighborhoods
How do we practice goodness and act with integrity with the people we meet in our daily grind?
Sometimes We Stumble
There are times when we fall short with our intention. Sometimes we have those moments. For example, I am in a hurry and miss an opportunity to be kind to a stranger. Or, I have too much on my plate and fail by missing a commitment with a friend.
Owning our shortcomings, learning from them, and growing through them are pieces of the process for authentic living. It is part of learning to trust, to love, and to be a person of integrity.
Your Turn
Practice goodness. Act with love and intention.
What helps you learn and grow deeper in integrity within the daily grind of life?
I welcome your comments.
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