Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Vacuum Cleaner Edition

Goldilocks and the Three Bears: Vacuum Cleaner Edition

Let’s review the story, just in case…

Goldilocks finds herself at the house of the three bears and goes in. She tries everything out. It’s too cold, it’s too hot, it’s too big, it’s too small, it’s too hard, it’s too soft, until she finds what’s just right.

I recently went on my own Goldilocks-style quest… for a vacuum cleaner.

I needed a new vacuum cleaner, so I did what a person does. Thinking I didn’t really have an opinion about vacuum cleaners, I found one that was on sale and I had some loyalty bucks I could use. I bought it, feeling oddly proud of myself for making a decision without complicating it.

Done. Mark the checkbox, put a line through that to-do item.

Not quite.

When the vacuum arrived, I learned pretty quickly that it was too small. It didn’t hold enough to make it through one day of dog hair.

Turns out, I actually have opinions about vacuum cleaners. Who knew?

Back it went.

I overcorrected and ordered a much larger vacuum. I’m not going to say it was commercial, but it was definitely overkill.

I wrestled it out of the box. I wrestled it around the house as I vacuumed, and while it was big enough, it was heavy, clunky, and didn’t fit in the closet where it needed to live.

Plus, I don’t need vacuuming to double as my workout.

Back that one went.

Two trips to the store wore me out, so number three was ordered after some scrolling.

I found one that was just right. Big enough to handle the mess, small enough to tuck away, and light enough that I didn’t need a pep talk to use it.

Bonus that I still had those loyalty bucks and could buy new walking shoes. Go me!

Perhaps you are wondering, Is there a point to this story? Or is she just practicing creating a blog by narrating her shopping adventures?

There is a point.

Sometimes we don’t realize what we actually need until we try something that doesn’t work.

Sometimes, we think we don’t have strong opinions until we bump up against something that feels off.

And sometimes, in trying to fix a problem, we go too far the other way.

Figuring out what’s just right for us usually takes a little trial and error.

Whether it’s a vacuum cleaner, a job, a relationship, or even a new habit, we don’t always get it right on the first try.

Honestly? This is how we learn.

If you are in that season where nothing seems to fit, maybe you are just in the middle of your own Goldilocks story — figuring out what works, what doesn’t, and learning as you go.

Sometimes finding “just right” takes a few rounds, and that’s okay.

So, here’s to finding what fits — and maybe there will be a new pair of shoes in the process, too. 😉

What’s something in your life right now that you’re still figuring out, and how might you give yourself grace in the process?

I’ll be cheering you on, as I vacuum the dog hair and break in the new shoes.

P.S. If you are looking for more encouragement around finding what fits and giving yourself grace in the process, I’ve really enjoyed Try Softer by Aundi Kolber.

It’s a beautiful reminder to approach life with kindness toward yourself. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I keep coming back to it when I’m in a “figuring it out” season.