When Hubster and I bought our first house, it was in a bit of disarray from the people who left. The upstairs carpet was just…beyond. The doors were horrible, like literally one of them fell apart at the hinges. The walls were marred by crayon hand prints and the like.

But the structure was sound. All the problems above? Were just superficial and easily fixable. That’s how I knew that house was perfect for us. I could see through the superficial to the underlying structure.

So, the first thing we did was hike up our pants and got to work, painting walls, installing carpet and brightening up the entire place. Over the years, as we went to fix things, we found that many things in the house were rigged. The dishwasher was hooked up all wonky, the front corner of the house wasn’t even resting on a stud, I could go on…

With each and every project, we took the time to repair them correctly. Even when we could’ve likewise just rigged them back up and ignored the underlying problems.

We installed a really robust fence, repaired the roof, installed soffit/fascia/gutters that were all missing. We fixed ‘er up. Even when the improvements didn’t quite match the quality of the neighborhood.

This is happening now in our new home. We’re slowly phasing out the old white appliances for solid stainless steel ones. We’re redoing outdated counters. We’re fixing troublesome wiring problems. We’re removing dumped garbage from the back corner of our lot. We’re making it better.

By the way, I have to say, we would’ve been the type of renters that any landlord would’ve dreamed of. We would’ve left their rooms nicer than when we moved in. Something that probably never happens.

But I carry this over in other ways in my life as well.

My mantra, and the guiding principle of this entire website and business is “better every day.” I try to better myself every day. I try to make my environment better. I try to make other people’s lives better. I try to workout better. I try to be a better mother and wife.

That’s just who I am.

Are you that way too?

Aren’t there so many ways that we can make things better, to fix what’s been left broken? To pick up the discarded napkin on the ground that everyone else is ignoring as “someone else’s fault/problem.” To leave friends feeling better after having been around you. To turn a weedy overgrown thorn meadow into a glorious fruitful garden. To leave a borrowed car with more gas than there was when you got in.

Isn’t that such a cool thing to aspire to? To leave things better than they were when you walked in?

So many people in this world walk around taking whatever they can, not caring about marring things as they pass through, and leaving things for the next person to clean up. Like discarded napkins at a picnic. Like tenants who lose their security deposit and then some within months of moving in.

Don’t be one of those people. We need more beautifiers and elevate-ers in this world.

Not only does this make the world a better place, but by being an elevate-er, you become a person that attracts more good things to you. You’re a builder and therefore become more built.

~Better every day~

 

So, tell me are you the rare type that actually leaves things better in your wake?