Love is in the air
This month, we’re talking about success breeding success, learning to trust your gut with tools, and tackling the tasks that quietly gnaw at your sanity—like that one faucet that won’t quit dripping.
Success Breeds Success (or how a dripping faucet taught me a life lesson)
Being the daughter of a Texas engineer meant that I grew up around tools and DIY projects. At the same time, growing up as a girl in small town Texas, I wasn’t always encouraged to get involved or take leadership NOR did I step up. Still, I managed to earn a pocket full of skills along the way. Skip to present day – my husband and father have a lot of skills and honestly, they know MUCH more than I do. So, when something needed to be done, they often naturally took the lead. And I encouraged it. It’s just how it was.
Ah, memories.
Free Endorphins
Then one day, I realized I have the skills. I can do many tasks all by myself like a big girl.
The first time I realized this was when the hot water heater stopped working. I automatically went to tell my husband. He was busy working on another project and told me to hire it out. I was about to say okay, when a funny thought popped into my head…. wait a minute! I might know how to fix it! And sure enough, I had it working again in like 15 minutes. That felt good!
Not long after that, we had a leaking faucet. My dad and husband repaired it several times and when the last repair failed, we decided it was time to replace it. We bought a new one and there it sat in its unopened box for two weeks because everyone was busy. Can you relate? I kept looking at the directions but always putting it back down. I felt like I could do it, yet something held me back. Finally, one day, inspired by the never-ending drip, I found myself under the sink. And within 15 minutes, we had a new faucet.
Before when I would walk by the dripping sink, it was a stab of stress, shame, and frustration.
Now, every time I walk by the sink, I feel success, a sense of control, and empowered. I get those endorphins even still just walking by it.
So, what's dripping in your life?
How many things in your house are draining you? How does that affect your daily walk-through life? You are more capable than you think! Redefine how you see the ocean of tasks…
It’s not sexy, it’s not always fun. BUT the mental headspace you gain when you know your house is well tended too, is well, amazing. How would it change your life to know that?
Join Main + Tenacious as we embark on this home maintenance journey together. Keep reading for tips, hacks, and inspiration to make this endeavor not just a chore, but a transformative and fulfilling experience.
A note about this month's task
Why!!!! Why must you care about the attic?
Sure, its creepy. Sure, it’s difficult. Sure, it’s dirty work. deep breath…. hear me out. It also has a major impact on your home’s comfort, energy efficiency, safety, and pocketbook. So you are going to see it on this month’s task.
“I am still going to ignore you because its icky, terrible, and stupid up there”.
It’s quite icky to spend big, big money repairing damage caused by ice dams.
It’s a terrible waste of electricity to leak cold air out of the ducts and into the stupid attic. Besides, think about how much harder the AC has to run when you want it in the 70s in the house and the attic is so hot Lucifer takes his vacations there.
It sure is stupid when pests, allergies, and mold take over.
Look, no one wants to be up there, but a couple of hours (or days) a year, and you will be saving yourself possible a ton of grief down the road.
Plus, it makes it a ton easier to wire the next big project.
So be brave and go up there. You will feel so much better after! I promise!