It had become an irritation, but not one that I was doing anything about. But irritations are expensive. At the very least, they cost time and mental energy.

Part of my morning ritual is boiling water with a squeeze of lemon. Then me and my warm healthy beverage meander from the kitchen usually right to my desk. There sits a coaster. Mug goes on coaster. And so begins the annoyance.

Every time I go to pick up my cup, the coaster sticks to it. Sometimes briefly before it heads back to the desk. But more often, it lingers long enough to catapult on to the floor or bounce off my lap and slide under the nearest chair.

Even though the coaster appears to be enjoying itself, I get mildly irritated.

Every. Single. Time.

I huff and puff briefly, expend all that extra energy leaning down to pick it up, reprimand it severely and return it to its rightful place. Then it begins all over again the next time I want to take a sip.

It struck me one day ~ what if I wipe down the coaster and the cup?

Woah!

A little too much brilliance so early in the morning.

I breathed and calmed myself.

Then I did something really radical.

I wiped them down.

And guess what?

No more sticking.

And more importantly ~ no more irritation or seconds of my life wasted endlessly retrieving that wayward coaster.

What struck me so much about this was it had me question how many other small irritations I might be putting up with, that are, honestly, not adding to the quality of my life. Nor the ease in my day.

So often we just ‘put up with’ things. We get used to them. But they’re distractions, time wasters, and thieves of the ever illusive good mood.

AN EASY STEP TO TAKE TODAY

My invitation to you today is to glance around your life and find one irritation, one distraction, that you could make go away. Perhaps an over-crowded center console in your car that would love a quick clean up. Or a pair of shoes that need a brief but loving burial. Even a shelf that can’t decide whether it’s on the wall or off the wall – make it commit.

Life is full of difficult stuff and so many things that we have no control over. But the small stuff, the stuff that gets our attention on a daily basis for longer than it deserves. That stuff we can do something about.

And watch. You’ll be amazed at the feelings of relief and mental ease that you get as a thank you gift.