As the northern hemisphere prepares to enter winter solstice and darkness encapsulates more of the day, we can take cues from nature to rest as well as she does. Rest means to relax, to refresh, and to recover strength.
What does that mean for you? What truly recharges your battery? How can you sit with the eternal light within perhaps because of the external darkness? You are a light source after all. ✨
As you recharge how can your relationship to reception be unfettered and met with ease? Is it possible to let these last few weeks of the year soften and overarch with reception? If reception cloaks your every intention how may that change your listening, your giving, your cleaning, your festivities (if you’re partaking in those), and your relating?
Words from Carl Jung, 20th century analytical psychologist, in support of learning to shift and widen your focus away from what you don’t want toward what you do want to experience:
“The greatest and most important problems of life are all in a certain sense insoluble… They can never be solved, but only outgrown… This “outgrowing,” as I formally called it, on further experience was seen to consist in a new level of consciousness. Some higher or wider interest arose on the person’s horizon, and through this widening of view, the insoluble problem lost its urgency. It was not solved logically in its own terms, but faded out when confronted with a new and stronger life-tendency.”
What new interest could be on the horizon for you?
“Folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” – Abraham Lincoln
Let joy be gathered, briefly held, appreciated, and gently released. Moments are meant to be fleeting but the joy you feel can go with you and create the foundation for noticing with more awareness, conscious savoring, and a deep appreciation for what life offers you today.
How can you give more of your attention to what brings you joy?
What will support and amplify your overall happiness in this day?
“A friend is one who overlooks your broken fence and admires the flowers in your garden.” – Unknown
You may never know what it means to another person when you take a moment to highlight something about them you appreciate or if you bestow an act of kindness on them. You may or may not see what another perceives as a difficulty, but even so you can be a bearer of kindness.
How can the connections you cherish be lifted by spotting the flowers?
“The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
Energy follows intention and attention. People see what they place their attention on and whatever that focus is, is what grows. The moment you are in now has the potential to be filled with joy and happiness if that is what you seek.
What happens if you allow just a few moments to notice the joys in both your external and internal world?
Let simplicity hold your experience as expectation falls away.
1.How can you honor whatever this day brings your way?
2.What do you know about yourself that will support you most? Notice your strengths!
3.What are you grateful for and celebrating?
✨You have everything you need for bliss. There’s no need to seek contentment elsewhere. Be or make your own silver lining and if you’re able, share it with someone else. ✨
One thing to ask yourself as you go through the next days and make choices about your activities:
Will this be nourishing to me or to someone else ?
That is not to compare and suggest that one of those is in greater standing than the other, but simply to check in with yourself and notice your choices. Is the next thing you’re going to choose nourishing in some way to someone? If the answer is no and you proceed, how does that unfold? If the answer is yes and you proceed, how does that unfold?
Let yourself notice how nourishing choices show up in your life.
You’re invited to add more positivity to your life!
If something comes up that is difficult for you, could you possibly find something else in your life that balances that difficult thing? This doesn’t mean that you ignore what’s going on – deal with what is before you – but see if you can find one or two other things that are holding steady at their usual or even going well. Choose to divert some of your thinking to what you like or can appreciate right now in this moment.
Try this with yourself:
What do I like in this moment? What’s good? What’s not wrong?
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I’ve been slowly implementing this practice for about eight years and I am so glad that I’ve had this understanding in my toolkit. It works. It lifts. It moves and shifts negative or stagnant energy. It may even help you to experience very little negative.
There was damage to my home during a recent storm in areas that have had work in the past year or so, all now needing similar repairs again. I stood there watching water pour into a room around a light fixture and across the ceiling into the wall, bubbling up under the paint, with almost no emotional reaction, acting enough in response to collect water in a bucket, bring in towels, look at the roof, call the roofer, and take pictures of it for insurance purposes. I also took a long pause in rooms that look like they always do to appreciate the fact that while some things need work – other areas are just fine! This thinking and response are direct result of practicing looking for what I like in each day. I’ve even noticed that I can look for what I like in situations where personal connections are linked in ways that could be perceived as unfavorable, which many would find more challenging including myself —- until I remember that I have choice and I can always take a moment to find what I like in every situation, be that a part of the situation or something else altogether.
Anyone can do this, with awareness and with a want for calm, soothing peace. How do you want to close off your days, even the difficult ones? I hope you can do it with a bit more positivity and find consistent wellbeing in this practice!
I heard recently that it takes 20 seconds longer to recall a positive memory than a negative memory. I haven’t checked the facts around that, but it was during a training for mindfulness by a reliable source and even without knowing for sure the accuracy – the idea of it is worth considering: for most people it takes longer to access a positive memory.
How much of that can be addressed through habit change and learning to be a positive thinker?
If you take time to dedicate a portion of your morning, just a few minutes everyday to focus on and write down the things in your life you’re thankful for and feel positively about, could you more easily draw on positives throughout the day?
Take a little time to know what brings you joy and experience the feeling of gratitude more often. You may find yourself outside of the norms and numbers on negativity. 💕
Presence and Positivity 