It is hard to get excited about chores. The name sounds boring. But they are another form of habit. Habits build us, make us better, and enrich our lives. I try to reframe chores through this lens. In the moment they may seem dull or a pain. But would life really be better without them?

An example, every week I have to brush my dog. She’s a husky with a striking white coat. But if I don’t brush her that coat starts to look less beautiful. And everything in the house starts to grow a coat of fur. Every Saturday morning I dread the routine of brushing her. I have to set up the brushes and the vacuum. I put on brushing clothes (a pair of clothes that I don’t mind destroying). And then depending on her mood, I fight with her to get her to cooperate. Fur flies everywhere, and she tries to escape, it takes forever to clean up. Not the most fun way to start a Saturday.

But it’s not all bad. I do love spending time with her. And it has made me a more empathic owner. It has made me more disciplined because I have seen the results when I try to skip this chore. So while this is definitely still a chore. And I am not jumping out of bed to do it, I do have a better perspective now. It’s a chore but it is a chore I will miss when it no longer needs to be done. The deeper meaning behind the action is something that I cherish and focus on, even if I do still mutter under my breath while I do it.