🌱 What’s One Thing You Can Do Every Day, No Matter What Happens?

When life feels overwhelming—holiday chaos, family visits, changing seasons, global uncertainty—what grounds you? What single action remains within your control?

Today I'm sharing a deeply personal reflection from Chapter 23 of my book, "The Places When There Are Spaces," exploring how my daily ritual of making my bed has become an unexpected anchor. This seemingly mundane task transforms into something profound through daily practice: sometimes a struggle when "the blankets feel heavy" and other times a moment of unexpected beauty when "the sheet catches the air as I shake it out, floating down easily like a parachute making its soft landing."

What makes this ritual particularly powerful is its privacy and complete autonomy. No one sees whether my bed is perfectly made or if it's merely presentable on the surface. The act becomes a daily reminder that some aspects of life remain entirely within my control. As I write, "At the end of the day, it's my bed and how I make it is entirely up to me and that is how I'll sleep in it." This simple practice also cultivates gratitude—recognizing that having a bed is itself a privilege.

What daily non-negotiable keeps you centered when everything else feels chaotic? What small action might become your personal touchstone? Listen to this brief but powerful episode, then take a moment to consider: What's one thing that you can do every day, no matter what happens?

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Chapters

• 0:00 Daily Ritual Reflection
• 1:58 Making My Bed Story
• 3:37 Final Thoughts and Question

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:23

Hey there, what's one thing that you can do every day, no matter what happens? That's the prompt for chapter 23 of my book, the Places when there Are Spaces, and each chapter invites a certain reflection based on the story that I tell, and this morning it occurred to me that, based on the story that I tell, and this morning it occurred to me that, well, there's so much going on in my life right now, with the holidays and family visiting and the season changing and the world that we live in, I had to remind myself about this prompt and I asked myself what's one thing that I can do today, no matter what happens? And it reminded me of this chapter. It's a very brief one and, with your permission, I'm going to share it with you so that you can go on with your day knowing that, even though sometimes things feel out of control or overwhelming, even though sometimes things feel out of control or overwhelming, that there is at least one thing that you can do every day, no matter what happens. Here's mine.

Speaker 1: 1:39

Every day, I make my bed. I don't always feel like making it, but still I make my bed. Some days the blankets feel heavy and I bang my shin against the frame. Other days, I marvel at the way the sheet catches the air as I shake it out, floating down easily like a parachute making its soft landing. Either way, I make my bed Some days, even though I know I should strip the bed and wash the sheets. I don't take the time or energy to change them, but still I make my bed. Other days, I'm so excited to get up that I consider raising up the bedroom door instead, but I slow myself down for a moment and I make my bed. Only I know if my bed is messy underneath the top cover that I sometimes smoothly straighten in case someone peeks into my room, nobody sees me making my bed and I don't ask for help.

Speaker 1: 2:47

At the end of the day, it's my bed and how I make it is entirely up to me and that is how I'll sleep in it. It won't always be hotel-style, perfect, but it's my bed. I'm grateful to have a bed. I get to have a bed. I get to have a bed. So every day I make my bed. What's one thing that you can do every day, no matter what happens? I'm Lisa Hopkins. Stay safe and healthy, everyone, and remember to live in the moment.