I’ve been trying to celebrate the little things more.
Life is too easy to get into a routine and function on autopilot without paying attention to all the little details along the way that well…make it life.
You know the routine: Wake up. Eat breakfast. Drive to work. Respond to emails. Work out. Cook dinner. And so on.
But what if, while we kept our jobs and our commutes, we still made time for celebrating all the little things that happen along the way.
So maybe, our routines would look a little something like this: Wake up. Realize what a gift it is to have another day. Drive to work. Notice the beautiful scenery along the way. Respond to emails. Remember how fortunate you are have to have a job. Work out. Feel so grateful for your working body. Cook dinner. While singing and dancing in your kitchen.
I’ve been trying to do this more. To slow down. Take deep breaths. Allow things to happen that aren’t written in a schedule somewhere.
In the last month or so, here are some of the simple things I’ve done that have made each day a little more special:
- Sent flowers to a loved one on a completely random day (I highly recommend doing this; as with most gifts, I’m not sure if it was more fun for the giver or receiver!
) - Called a friend I haven’t talked to in close to a year (ended up being a NEEDED call for both of us!)
- Took a walk and really noticed the blooming flowers along the way
- Took a spontaneous trip to a nearby beach with my husband on a chilly night after the rain; it was quiet, serene and the perfect place to take a walk
- Told a coworker how great she is (yup, it’s as simple as it sounds; why do we not tell people these things often enough?!?!)
- Rearranged our furniture (I know this sounds like it may not fit into the list, but it’s something I’ve been wanting to do for over a year. A few small changes made a big difference and my mood completely brightens when I walk into the room. And it was fun to find that old stack of letters. )
This dish is super-simple to prepare and will give you even a little extra time to celebrate the little things that happened throughout your day.
Mushroom and White Wine Pasta
Keywords: saute entree side vegetarian mushrooms Italian
Ingredients
- 8 oz. whole wheat pasta
- 2 tbs. olive oil
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 4 oz. sliced baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
- 1/2 cup white wine (cook until most liquid evaoparates)
- Thyme, to taste
- Pinch of red pepper flakes
- Salt and pepper
- About 1 tbs. lemon juice
- Parmesan cheese
Instructions
1. Cook pasta according to package directions, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add shallot and cook 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and mushrooms and cook 1-2 minutes. Add wine and cook until most of the liquid evaporates, stirring frequently. Stir in spices and lemon juice. Mix with cooked pasta, slowly adding reserved cooking water until reaching desired consistency.
3. Serve, top with parmesan cheese, and enjoy!
~How do you celebrate the little things in life?
