Let’s Wash the Dishes!

washing dishes photo

I saw a post yesterday morning on Facebook by a business woman who said she hates doing dishes, and to avoid them, she buys her kids party paper plates and cups so every day is like a party to them, and as a result she has no dishes to wash.

I actually cringed when I read this. I am not one to judge, and I won’t go into the waste aspect or the environmental impact, because that’s a whole other post. But I have to admit I felt saddened in a way. For a start, what is that teaching the kids? We don’t need to be careful with what we do, or how many plates we use or respect our dishes because we just throw them away when we finish? Are we saying that resources are endless and we can just get another one because we throw them away? How will the kids learn responsibility for how to clean up after themselves or the importance of hygiene and cleanliness? What about role modelling….I could go on and on.

But it’s more than that for me. I had a dishwasher for many years while my kids were growing up and in the years beyond, and don’t get me wrong, I loved it. For the past two years though I have not had one and it doesn’t bother me at all. In fact I enjoy doing the dishes. It’s where some of my best ideas come to me, just as they do when I am in the shower. It’s where we really can only do that one thing, so we are present to it and our minds aren’t filled with the endless distractions and notifications that rule our days. I have always loved keeping a clean home and I take great pride in it, and the act of cleaning up, and putting things in their place is an important aspect of my daily routine. De-cluttering, cleaning and tidying are lovely mindfulness practices if you approach them with the right intention.

washing dishes headspace

Our home should be our sanctuary and every thing we do to keep them as such is there to be enjoyed, it just takes a shift in mindset – yes even washing the dishes!

Rae-Anne x :)

mindfulness-isnt-something-we-practice-only-in-the-meditation-hall-we-also-practice-in-the-kitchen-quote-1

About Me

Recovery Coach Rea-Anne

Hi, my name is Rae-Anne. I am a facilitator, manager, counsellor, NDIS support coordinator, psychosocial recovery coach and published author with over 25 years experience in leadership development, change management and developing and delivering training within government, social and community services.

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