The Little Things Matter – At home and at work

In organizations that serve and come face-to-face with trauma—the military, police, fire, EMS—it’s a combination of leadership, mental health, work tempo, family, societal factors, and countless other things that all shape the quality of life for those who serve and their families. There isn’t one piece that doesn’t impact the others.

When a department or organization I work with is serious—from the top down—about making an impact on their team, at some point they understand this. They make leadership a skill developed throughout a career. They make mental health a normal topic of conversation and a priority to strengthen—just like physical health and job skills. They equip their people to come home by understanding the impact of the job on family and realizing that the transition home might be the most vital skill they give them.

We can all learn from this. Whether you’re building your family, your work team, or your circle of friends, every part of life can either fuel or infect the others—sometimes both.

As life gets more complicated, being intentional about where you give your attention becomes more important than ever. That out-of-shape body impacts your mood, and that mood impacts the ones you love. Past trauma clouds your mind, keeping your thoughts hyper-vigilant, which makes it hard to focus on work or even simple conversations. A fight with your spouse can fuel your demons and give you an excuse to let them loose. It’s all connected.

So, where do you begin?

Here’s where I just began after being in a rut.

My wife and I had a rare chance to be alone (no small feat when you have nine kids!) on a trip to Chicago for a chair she found on Facebook Marketplace. I wasn’t terribly excited, but as the drive went on, we talked. Talking led to laughs. Laughs led to an adventure picking up a vintage chair from a modern high-rise, which then led to a long walk across the road to Navy Pier. It was a great moment. We came home vowing to strengthen our relationship and communicate better. We also decided to make more moments count. One decision we made: read the Bible together every day after supper. Make it an essential habit. Do it where the kids could see and set an example.

So far—success! Just this small habit has strengthened our faith, strengthened our relationship, and led to long talks with the kids—lingering conversations where no one was in a hurry to leave, and no one reached for an electronic device.

The little things matter. At work or at home. Small steps to connect and communicate are what make life worth living—and they’re always the best way to get back on track and aim higher.