Does Slow and Steady Win the Race?

Steady. The word makes me think solid, stable, safe. But it also makes me think regular, routine, boring. I suppose it depends on what you pair it with. For example, if I pair the word steady with things like a secure home, a dependable provider (whether it's me or someone else), an available partner, a full bank account, good health, and the like then I think solid, safe, stable, etc. However, if I pair steady with things such as chores, daily grind, meal prep, laundry, work, any obligatory act that has to be done daily or weekly I think more regular, routine, dull, boring, get-it-over-with.

But then I look at how those things are connected- being a dependable provider means working every day and having good health requires the right foods and a regular routine of some form of exercise. Why is it the dull, boring things make the stable, safe things possible? It's all in our perspective.

If we want safe, stable, and solid we're going to have to work for it and that's that. So, how do we do this with a more positive attitude? I thought about this and I recall a few things my grandmother did as she moved through her days in a positive way.

1. Sing. Yep, or hum, or put some music on. No matter what I'm doing music makes it better even if I already love the activity. My grandmother was always humming and singing as she made her way through her daily chores. She always sang hymns, all of which are still my favorites. 
2. Change the way you think about what you're doing and take your time doing it. Grandmother never dreaded doing the dishes or dusting the furniture because she thought of it more as being grateful to have dishes to wash and furniture to dust. My granddaddy owned the local dry cleaners and every Tuesday was the day he took their linens and such down to be laundered. Grandmother did not dread Tuesdays. She was grateful not to have to wash them herself. Grandmother never rushed through a task to get it over with. She took her time and did it right. 
3. Save your favorite things for later. Grandmother always got the chores completed first and saved going out and meetings (Garden Club and Circle) or watching her 'stories' for the afternoon. Maybe that's why it was so easy for her to sing her way through the chores. 
4. Don't wait for someone else to help you, just do what needs to be done. And don't judge them for not stepping in and helping. Grandmother did what needed to be done without the expectation that anyone else would either help her or do it for her. When I was there, I did help her and she appreciated it but never expected it. 
5. Don't waste your time on futile exploits. Everything had a purpose with Grandmother or it was a waste of time. Even sitting and visiting with a friend meant something important to her. 
6. Take that annual vacation. We all went to the beach for a week's vacation every summer. We stayed at the same beach house and had the most wonderful time every year. On the weekends, we might just ride up to the mountains for the day or a weekend. Regardless, Grandmother and Granddaddy took the time to get away and relax and they took us with them.
7. Pamper yourself. Grandmother's idea of pampering herself was having her hair done weekly. It was the one thing she did for herself and it made her feel good. They also went out to eat every Saturday night to the fish camp and took us with them. Such simple little things but they made such a difference.
8. Don't concern yourself with material things. Grandmother did not concern herself with material things but she did take care of what she had. Not that she didn't appreciate or have nice things but she would have been fine without them. Material possessions were not even close to her focus. She did take great care of what she had. Such care that they never had to replace anything until it was worn out.  
9. Take nothing for granted. Grandmother took nothing for granted. She appreciated everything she had, took care of her home and her family, and took time to spend with others. 
10. Reach out to others. Grandmother always took the time to lift up others and encourage them but she took no crap from anyone. She stuck up for herself but she'd stick up for you, too. She also stood up for what was right. She'd give you anything you needed without expectation of return and she'd always tell you how valuable you were as a person. No need to wonder when you were around Grandmother. 

Ok, my time ran out waaaaay back there somewhere before I started the list. Oops. I had no idea where the word, steady was going to take. Now, I do. Ha! 

This post is linked to Five Minute Friday where we write for five minutes about the prompt without stopping.

The prompt this week is STEADY.

Please visit my Etsy shop, CoasterDoodles
and feel free to FAVORITE the shop
or buy something! :)