I Believe
I believe in the power of a well-made bed in the morning. Life is busy. Life is messy. To survive, we need order and structure.
Life comes at me fast. Some mornings arrive, early and lonely, yet in those wee hours, before the house awakens, I feel in control. Until I remember my to-do list that stretches 3 miles and ends in an etc. That is when panic sets in and doubt in my own abilities creeps into my subconscious. I want to succumb to the manic feelings of inadequacy, and climb back into bed with the rumpled covers over my head. This, I cannot do. I have responsibilities; children, work, cooking, cleaning and other mundane, yet glorious tasks of marriage and motherhood. So, how do I get myself going and prepare for the routine of every day? Simple. I make my bed.
There are many chores that I must, or should, do each morning, but if I skip my bed, other assignments will suffer. So what does having a bed that has been made up and beautified have to do with helping me have a great day? I am glad you asked.
Making my bed first thing in the morning reaffirms to myself that I am capable of accomplishing things. I can get things done, one at a time, and I can do them well. Even though putting my bed together is a very simple chore that only takes 30 seconds to do, it is the best way for me to start my day, every day.
When my bed is left rumpled and messy all day, so am I. The day turns from productive obligations, to just killing time until I can fall back into it. Not making my bed is a bad habit, while making it is a good habit. My initial decision each morning, whether to choose good or bad, affects the rest of my choices in my day-lit hours. We’ve all heard how one marvelous adjustment can have a domino effect on the rest of our day’s performance. So I start each day with this in mind, and I make my bed.
When my bed is made, it doesn’t matter as much if my husband’s dirty socks are still on the floor or if the folded laundry is in piles on the floor a little longer. Just by having a tidy bed, my messy room seems cleaner and less cluttered, in just 30 seconds! Why can’t there be a bed in every room of the house?
If I cannot get myself to even do little, seemingly insignificant things right, how can I ever expect myself to pull off anything of real substance? Making my bed properly is not a hard thing or a large thing, yet it can make a real difference during those days when it seems like nothing goes according to plan. In those miserable moments, being able to climb into a bed that is smartly made can buoy me up and remind me that tomorrow shall be better.