So often in life we want a restart. A new direction. A new home. A complete overhaul.

Brand new beginnings look deliciously shiny some days.

Lately (and by lately I mean over a year), we’ve been looking at homes. We’re two quiet country kids at heart, and we dream of owning a few secluded acres overlooking the sun-kissed prairie.

The options have been less than impressive. I have a wishlist, including a tree-lined backyard I can see from a preferably all-white kitchen. (Good thing I’m not picky or anything…) The more we look, the more we fall back in love with our current home. Yes, it has its quirks.  But, what house doesn’t have a list of improvements?

What spouse or family or friendship or life doesn’t have a list of improvements? There’s always good work to be done. And, an overhaul isn’t necessarily the answer.

The grass isn’t greener on the other side. (Or the countryside.)

It’s greener where you water it.

Are you putting your energy into dreaming of the life that isn’t yours, or are you focused on making the most of the amazing life you already live?

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of thinking you need a complete reboot, that you’re helplessly stuck until you find the next big thing. This simply isn’t the truth. Often, it’s the little tweaks that make all the difference.

Small tweaks add up to big change.

Need a new home? Maybe just find some creative inspiration, a can of paint and a wide-open Saturday morning.

Need a career overhaul? Maybe just look closer and see where your talents can make a difference in the lives of others.

Need to relocate? Maybe just switch up your schedule, your habits, your daily rhythm, and create more margin to bloom wherever you are planted.

Need a new wardrobe? Maybe just shop your closet, pull out the things you don’t love and pair up the things you do.

Need to hire a pro to organize your whole house? Maybe just take it slowly, hour-by-hour, drawer-by-drawer, shelf-by-shelf. 

I think we’ve all been there, thinking it’s time to throw in the towel and start fresh. And sometimes that’s exactly the answer. Other times, small edits make all the difference.