Feeling out of control, stressed out, unable to wrap your head around what life’s throwing your way? Are you in a constant state of worry and find yourself more impatient and irritated than normal? Well, worry no more. I have a simple piece of advice for you that I swear can help.
Interested in hearing more? OK then, get ready for it, and repeat after me. MAKE YOUR BED!
Yeah, I know you non bed makers just rolled your eyes and those who do make their bed regularly probably did as well. I, too, thought it crazy when a wise woman made the same suggestion to me many years ago and, yes, I’m sure I rolled my eyes a little too. But I was also in a place where I would try just about anything to feel a little more ‘normal’ and I figured it sure couldn’t hurt, so I gave it a try. And much to my surprise, after a couple weeks I actually started to feel a little more grounded and at ease. So bear with me for a minute and check out the following six reasons why making your bed may really be in your best interest after all.
1) If you are healthy enough to get out of it, you can make it. Note the word healthy here. No matter what your day holds or what you are going through, remember you were able to swing that blanket off your body and move yourself out of your resting area. Be thankful for that alone. There are so many people who cannot leave their bed for whatever reason and we lose sight of that in our daily lives. Making your bed, while being thankful for your ability to do so, is a powerful reminder of all the positive things you have in life and is a sure way to bring a smile to your face.
2) It’s not hard. No matter what, you can’t fail at it. We all get up feeling like failures at times. You just lost your job, you flunked that test, you just made a complete fool of yourself at the company party. We’ve all been there and it stinks. But you also need to keep in mind that there are plenty of things that you don’t fail at and, as a matter of fact, you’re damn good at. And making your bed is one of them. So go ahead and start your day by doing this simple task to remind yourself how great you actually are.
3) It can bring a semblance of order to an otherwise chaotic start. You drag yourself out of bed after a colicky baby kept you up half the night, look around and your heart sinks. Dirty clothes are strewn about, baby bottles and a bowl with potato chip remnants sit on the nightstand, magazines and toys litter the floor, not to mention the dog and cat fur that seems to blanket the entire mess. You sigh in defeat before the day starts, knowing you have no time to remedy the situation. But think about it. You do have time to straighten that comforter and put the pillows back at head of the bed. And then you have one neat, organized thing that stands out amongst the chaos and you know you did it. It reminds you there are plenty of other positive things you will do this day and helps promote an ‘I can do it’ attitude.
4) It’s in your control. Fear of the unknown drives so much of our pain and suffering. You spin scenarios, usually really bad ones, and let the imagined results drag you down. You also find yourself facing things that are completely out of your control and feel utterly powerless. The cancer diagnosis, the spouse who walked out, the pink slip. These types of events send you reeling and you begin to doubt you have any power at all in your life. But you can always make your bed. And while you’re at it, do it your way. You don’t like that sheet tucked into the mattress? Then leave it loose. Don’t want to pull the blanket up under the pillows? Don’t do it. Need to give those pillows an extra harsh fluffing to let off some steam? Go for it! Arrange that bed any damn way you please and know it’s 100% in your control. You’ll be amazed how good that can make you feel.
5) You can use those two minutes to center yourself and practice a little mindfulness. It’s so hard for many of us in this rush, rush society to find the time to do anything for ourselves. You may be interested in meditation, affirmations and mindfulness, but just can’t seem to find the time in your busy schedule. You’d love to get up 20 minutes early to contemplate life, but you were up really late finishing paperwork (again) and you need every minute of sleep you can get. Many of us believe we need a sizable chunk of time to set intentions for the day, but that’s not true. And since making the bed requires no real thought, it’s the perfect time to let your mind focus on something else. Whether you want to merely repeat a positive affirmation or offer thanks for the some of the simple things in your life, just spending those couple minutes in some kind of positive reflection can have a huge impact on your day.
6) It’s a nice way to end the day. The night got away from you and you cringe when you see the actual time. You’re beyond tired and just want to fall into bed and pass out. Wouldn’t it be nice to know you can do just that instead of trying to find that sheet that’s crumpled in a ball under two blankets and a comforter or having to drag out that pillow that somehow got kicked under the bed and is now covered in dust bunnies? Ending the night on a peaceful note can help soothe your soul and promote restful sleep, whereas a struggle to even get into bed can jack up your stress levels and leave you feeling wide eyed and ticked off. Which way would you rather end the day?
So there you have it. I hope you’ve enjoyed these quirky reasons for doing something your Mom probably pestered you about all through childhood. So next time the walls start closing in and you’re about to throw in the towel, march into that bedroom of yours, stand proud, plant a smile on your face and… Make Your Bed!! Remember, it can’t hurt and maybe, just maybe, it can help!
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