Can you have a love affair with a major appliance?

Why yes you can!

For me it started with my french door fridge, then my Nespresso machine and now my glorious new car!

But don’t worry – Mike is supportive of my indiscretions and he has a few of his own…his iPhone, backpack blower and the 20 year-long relationship with his Milwaukee power drill.

Lately I’ve noticed his appreciative glances at the new mini air compressor. The drill may have competition!

All kidding aside – expressing gratitude and love toward the many appliances, tools and luxuries we enjoy is wonderful and comes highly recommended!

Take a moment and think about the sheer number of things you use throughout the day. What modern day wonder can you not live without?

It wasn’t too long ago our ancestors’ lives revolved around simply surviving and living was hard work. Clothes washed by hand, food stored in underground cellars and trips took days by horse and buggy.

What about communication? Considering where we started from – horseback messengers, word of mouth, passenger pigeons and smoke signals – it’s amazing how quickly technology has transformed our lives and made them so much more – dare I say – connected.

Seriously, who could possibly live without their cellphone?

It’s important to stop and recognize the many things that enhance your life. How? By being mindful and appreciative as you use objects throughout the day. Heck, why not say it out loud and remind others how blessed and fortunate we all are?

As you load the washing machine and put in the soap, think to yourself how grateful you are to have help with such an arduous task. Ever used a scrub board? Trust me – that front load washer with all its bells and whistles should be your new best friend!

One of my rituals involves my vehicle. After every highway trip, I put my hand on the hood, close my eyes and say out loud, “thank you for getting my family home safe”. I also love greeting my vehicle with a “hello car!” after it happily chirps and opens up the side mirror when it senses me coming close (thanks to the key fob).

I know, I know …

But things like this make my life sparkle!

Another point to consider: being connected to your possessions makes you want to take better care of them. Maintenance in itself is an act of respect and a way of honouring the important role the item plays in your life.

If you allow yourself to feel appreciation toward your car for getting you from point A to point B in a warm, safe and comfortable manner, you won’t let it fall into disrepair or neglect.

You take care of things you love.

Make a financial and emotional investment into life’s amazing conveniences and see them take on a deeper meaning. Remember – prime your brain’s Reticular Activating System to search out more opportunities for positivity, happiness and joy. The more you focus on gratitude, the more you will experience.