It's the little things. The little, insignificant things that are the easiest to overlook. Those are always the most important things and make up the bigger picture of what we want to see in our lives. We've heard it said over and over again,
"It's the little foxes that spoil the vine."
"It's the small leaks that sink the ship."
"Take care of your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves."
If you want a clean house, it's the little daily things that you do and maintain that makes up a clean house, not the major cleaning sprees. In our budget, it is the little things that have the most impact. There have been so many times that I have gone to the grocery store and was gobsmacked at how easily it was to rack up a $100 grocery bill out of things that only cost a few dollars each. In relationships, it's the little things that both build or destroy them.
Sometimes we feel that the small changes cannot add up to much of a result. We don't cut a small expense that we could cut because it would only be saving $10/mo. We don't throw a little bit extra on debt because it doesn't appear to move the needle any. We don't give money away because it's such a small amount that it seems insignificant or we are embarrassed we can't give more. I am testament of how much those small things really do matter. I have been on the receiving end of $5 gift cards that meant the world to me, or a simple meal dropped off that eased the load after a baby or sickness. I know how much an unexpected bouquet of flowers means, and I know how small, insignificant changes to a budget can majorly change a financial picture.
So ... maintain. It's the least glamorous and most important. It's the dishes every meal, the load of laundry every day, wiping down bathrooms and sweeping floors every day. It's maintaining the budget when you'd rather look the other way, it's planning meals for the week when you'd rather wing it, it's making dinner when you'd rather have a night off. It's doing the small things every day and looking for the small things to do to bless others. It matters. It moves the needle. These are things that are almost imperceptible at the moment but have tremendous results in the overall picture. These are the things that matter in 2, 5, 10 years. They matter when unexpected guests arrive, or an unexpected expense comes. They make the most difference in being able to gracefully navigate the ups and downs of life. If what we know to do is done, then we are so much better prepared for the unknown. This week, this month, this year - let's maintain.