Have you ever had a time where everything seemed to go wrong? Overtired, overworked, bad news, you feel like you are just one more thing away from hiding or pulling your hair out. We’ve all been there!
Sarah ban Breathnach introduced the idea of a comfort drawer in her 1994 book Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy. She was an early voice in the gratitude movement and a self-care expert.
If you find yourself in a situation where meditation is not an option, before you turn to unhealthy coping activities such as one too many cocktails, overeating, overspending or other excessive indulgences you will regret in the future, you could turn to a comfort drawer.
On a day when things are going well for you, sit down and make a list of ten small things that make you happy. Then, sit in that feeling and begin to put together in a small container or drawer filled with a few things you like or that help you recall that thing. For me, the scent of bath soap reminds me of my mom. Just the smell of them flood me with memories of her kindness and nurturing spirit–a major comfort to me at times of distress. For this reason, I keep a small bar of non-fancy soap in my comfort drawer.
Some ideas for objects to place in your own comfort drawer:
- A paint chip in your favorite color
- Bubble wrap to pop
- Photos of a loved one
- Written kudos or a thank you note you’ve received
- A candle in your favorite scent
- Soft fuzzy socks
These are just suggestions. Use your imagination to find a few small things that inspire feelings of comfort. But the next time you have had a hard day, you can soothe yourself with something from your comfort drawer instead of a double-order of your favorite carry out food.
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Photo Credits: Merylove Crafts and Rumman Amin on Unsplash.
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