Don Kowalewski
Writer. Ad Sales and Marketing. Social Media Content Creator. Aeropress Coffee. Makes the best salsa in the world.
Sweating the Small Stuff: Daily Journal and Skin Care
Does anyone remember that book … Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff …and it’s all Small Stuff”? That book really bothered me when it was released. I mean, life really is mainly about the “small stuff.” It’s the “small stuff” that sets the foundation for the big things. Trust me. I read the book. I got the point they were trying to make. Like don’t worry about burning your toast or breaking a dish because, well, if you’re healthy and the people you love are healthy, well, that toast and that broken dish aren’t really a big deal.
But, for me and I think for many, the “small stuff” are the things that keep us smiling, sane, calm, and in control enough to handle the “big stuff.”
Some “small stuff” that I most definitely “sweat” include having the thinnest possible iPhone case, having only the freshest possible roasted coffee beans, sleep-hacks, skin care products and keeping my youthful looks, and calibrating my speakers on my main stereo for perfect audio recreation with all my lossless music files. Oh, the iPhone case, you ask? I went with a case so thin that if you don’t look closely at my phone, you’d think I don’t have a case at all. I found the Dataroad .2mm Paper Thin case and this “small thing” makes me very, very happy. If I had an Otterbox, I would sweat it.
Currently, I’m “sweating” my two 2022 daily journals. I bought two of them and they don’t lay flat. As of the writing of this Blog entry, it’s February 10th (41 days into 2022) and I thought this was a “small thing” I could deal with until I went through 100 pages and could move onto a new journal …but I can’t.
Now, don’t worry …I ain’t gonna go out and spend too much money on a Shinola journal, Moleskin Journal, or any other way-too-expensive journal (but I would happily accept one of a reader bought one for me) …I’m gonna go with a faux Moleskin or I’m just gonna get a graph-paper composition journal …maybe in a 6-pack for $19. As long as it lays flat.
I discovered a new daily to-do and task method (invented by Cal Newport) and it’s perfect (for me) …it’s called time-blocking. But it would be better if I could lay my daily journal on my desk and leave it there all day and it needs to stay open. I also like to write in my other journal and when it’s a hard cover (oh, did I mention my two 2022 journals were hardcover …another critical mistake) and doesn’t stay open, it actually makes it difficult to write in. Another thing I “sweat” is trying to journal with nearly perfect printing. In 1st Grade someone said, “you have such nice handwriting,” and I was proud and it became a lifelong obsession.
Point is, as reader Leslie P. pointed out …if it’s something you deal with on a daily basis, and it’s bothering you, you should make a change. Little things add up. If you pay attention to the small things, that care and attention will become habit and apply to all things and so, while burning toast once might be something we all shouldn’t “sweat”, we should at least take pride in the fact we can make toast and not burn it and if you’re going to have toast, well, make it a perfect golden brown and don’t make toast until you’re ready to eat it …then quickly butter that toast, maybe add jam (not jelly), and enjoy it crunchy. What’s the point in making toast if you let it sit and get cold and soak in all the butter and not be “toasty?”
And for me… I’ll take Leslie P.’s advice and I’m going to retire these bulky, hard cover, non-flat-laying journal because when you know something’s bothering you …fix it.
Don Kowalewski 