Sometimes You Just Need a Reset
We’re in the dog days of summer — or at least, it feels that way to me.
Here in Georgia, the heat is high. The humidity is high. The rain recently felt never-ending. And my studio? A mess.
So yesterday, instead of sending my weekly newsletter, I hit reset.
I started the day with a spiritual reset — some much-needed time with my spiritual director. Then I spent the rest of the day resetting my studio.
You see, this is what happens to me … I start making one product, and then another idea hits. So I start that one, too. And then I think, Well, I’m already tying cord today, so why don’t I tie this other color while I’m at it?
And then there’s the one leftover bead. Or one jump ring. Or a little piece of something that I might need someday.
So it goes into my “misfit” tray or the the clear tote on my floor. You know the one. The spaces where things go to be dealt with another day — or where I might find that one special component I need before I go out and buy 30 more. (Yours may be a drawer. 😉)
My studio is always full, and even in this "messy" state, it was still reasonably organized. But it was weighing me down. Literally.
I don’t know if you’ve ever heard this before, but I’ve tested it many times and found it to be true: Things left on the floor weigh you down. I’m not talking about furniture or things that are supposed to be there. I mean the boxes that need to be put away. The things that need to be donated. The piles that have slowly accumulated because you’ve been too busy to deal with them.
It turns out there's actually some science behind this. Researchers have found that clutter competes for our attention. Our brains often see unfinished piles as unfinished tasks, which can increase mental fatigue and stress. And when the floor starts disappearing under bags, boxes, and piles, a room can actually feel smaller and less restful.
I still have my desk to clear, but let me tell you … After one day of resetting, I felt like I had spent the weekend at a spa. I felt lighter. Refreshed. And finally ready to sit down and write.
It made me think about how often we need a reset in our spiritual lives, too.
Sometimes that reset begins with prayer. Sometimes it's simply sitting quietly with God and letting Him remind us who we are. And sometimes, perhaps surprisingly, it begins by clearing a shelf, making the bed, or putting away the pile you've walked past all week.
The task itself isn't the point. It's creating a little space to breathe again. To quiet the noise. To notice God in the middle of an ordinary day.
The little things we carry don't feel like much on their own. An unfinished project here. A decision there. Another item added to tomorrow's list. Until one day, they become heavier than we realized.
That's why keeping God at the center of our lives is so important. He invites us to come back to Him again and again — not just after we've burned out, but before. Sometimes all it takes is a small reset that lifts our gaze from everything demanding our attention back to the One who gives us peace.
Yesterday my friend and fellow Marian Servant, Richard, sent a quote from Michelangelo. At the bottom he added just three words: Dream BIG Dreams. Those three words stayed with me.
Because I think we all have big dreams — no matter what season of life we’re in. But sometimes the weight of everyday life can make those dreams feel impossibly far away.
If you're feeling the weight today, don't wait until you're completely burned out.
Take ten minutes. Say a prayer. Clear one shelf. Put away one bag or box. Step outside for a few minutes.
Whatever helps you lift your gaze back toward God.
You don't have to reset everything today. Just begin with one small thing.
God has a wonderful way of meeting us there.
Walking with you in faith,
Kathleen
A Simple Way to Reset
One of the reasons I design single-decade rosaries is because prayer doesn't have to be long or complicated — it just needs to begin.
Whether you keep one in your pocket, your car, or by your front door, it becomes a gentle reminder to pause, pray, and reset your gaze toward God.
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