It’s the Small Things That Pull Us Forward

Every morning, before I get out of bed and while I do my hip flexor stretches, I think about my day. It helps me focus on what I have to look forward to. Maybe it’s lunch with a friend, a different walking route to try, or even a new episode of a favourite series.

I do this every morning. It helps me get up with a smile. I feel positive about the day ahead, even when there is nothing particularly exciting planned.

It’s difficult to get out of bed when there is nothing to get up for. Not something big, but the little things that keep us motivated. Maybe there’s a sale at a local shop, or a new café has opened and you’re meeting friends there for lunch. It could be the electrician arriving at ten or a package being delivered in the afternoon. Whatever it is, it’s something to do. Something to look forward to, and something different from the day before.

While a pending trip, family visit, or special celebration can dominate our thoughts, these events are often few and far between. Most of our lives are made up of ordinary days, and I think ordinary days need something to pull us forward.

When the Future Arrived Automatically

When we were working, there were plenty of built-in milestones. Projects, deadlines, meetings, vacations, and even payday, created a natural sense of movement through the weeks and months. Whether we loved our jobs or not, there was always something coming next.

The future arrived automatically. Retirement changed our days.

One of the great gifts of retirement is freedom. We have more control over our time and how we spend it. Yet freedom can also create an unexpected challenge. Without the structure that work once provided, the days can begin to blend into each other. Monday doesn’t feel much different from Thursday. One week slips into the next and before we know it, another month has passed.

I’ve noticed that when there is nothing ahead of me, even something small, the future can feel blank. Not depressing, just empty. There is no sense of movement, things become stagnant. Not a good feeling.

That is why I believe it’s important to have something ahead of us, even if it’s small. Otherwise, the future can be disheartening. And I don’t think that’s healthy.

Why Small Things Matter

It doesn’t have to be a cruise, a family reunion, or a trip halfway around the world. In fact, I think we sometimes place too much importance on the big events, and not enough on the little ones.

A walk along a new pathway. Coffee with a friend. An afternoon in the garden. A visit to the library. A few quiet hours spent writing, reading, or working on a Sudoku puzzle. These things may seem ordinary, but they give shape to our days. They create continuity and momentum. They give us a reason to get up, get moving, and engage with the world around us.

Many of us assumed retirement would be filled with major plans and exciting adventures. While it sometimes is, this isn’t all the time. What I have come to appreciate most are the smaller events that quietly anchor my days. They include my walks, visits to the grocery store and the mall, writing in the afternoon, with watching the entertainment news, my highlight of the evening. These are the simple things that provide a sense of purpose and direction.

Creating Our Own Milestones

Some people might argue that these are my manufactured milestones, that they aren’t “real” in the same way work and family responsibilities once were. I see it differently.

Retirement gives us the opportunity to decide what matters. We no longer build our lives around a work schedule. We can create our own reasons to look ahead.

Looking forward to walking the dog on a new pathway may not sound important to someone else, but if it brings us pleasure, gets us out of the house, and gives us something to look forward to, then it matters.

The future is coming whether we pay attention to it or not. We can’t stop it, slow it down, or hold onto today. What we can do is step into it willingly, one day at a time.

Every morning, as I stretch and think about the day ahead, I always find things to look forward to. They aren’t necessarily exciting or important. This gives my day shape and purpose. In retirement that’s exact what I need.

It’s the small things that pull us forward.

Click for free access to my Substack, Retired Way Out There, where I publish a bi-monthly newsletter and provide handouts.

What Do You Think?

What do you structure your days around? Do you wait for the big things in life, or do you appreciate all the little things that bring structure to your days? Which little things matter to you most?