Friday Musings—12/01/24

In this week's post, I shared how taking some time to look back on 2023 can help us get a better sense of what we want to continue doing this year and what we want to let go of and leave behind. Next week, we'll discuss our vision for 2024 and beyond. I also offered to arrange a Zoom session where we can all work on our list of goals, and anyone who wants to can also share. If you'd like to take part in the session, please fill out this form.

Moving onto a few things I've enjoyed this week.

A delightful practice!

Let’s face it—the world can be a depressing place at times. Every time I turn on the news (something I very rarely do nowadays), it feels like everything’s gone to hell. Some of us also feel the effects of the darker days and the cold weather (although I quite like it when it's cold and dark outside, and I can spend time at home with a good book, a cup of tea or some soup, while wearing my woolly socks and a comfortable sweater). So, what are we to do on those days when we’re feeling especially glum?

For a whole year, American poet Ross Gay challenged himself to document the small joys we often overlook in our busy lives. The result was his essay collection The Book of Delights, a compendium of quirky, silly, strange, and unexpected moments he observed in his day-to-day life that brought him joy even in moments of sorrow or pain. Every time he mentions a new joyful thing, Ross writes “Delight!” in brackets after the word, which I found adorable. I also like the fact that this practice will lead you to pay more attention to what's going on around you.

Our heartbeats

At the beginning of the month, I joined the "reset and refresh challenge" on Insight Timer and I've been really enjoying all of the meditations (if you'd like to join as well, it's free). I especially enjoyed the meditation from Day 1, which focused on listening to our heartbeats. Ever since, I've been carving out a moment every day when I sit in silence, put a hand on my chest, and listen to a few of my heartbeats. It's so incredibly soothing and makes me feel close to myself and at peace. It boggles my mind that I had never thought about doing that before, and I feel so much appreciation for my little heart, which has been working tirelessly for me all these years, often under considerable stress. I recommend you give it a try as well; it'll only take a few seconds and will provide you with so much love and respect for your body.

Feeling super cranky?

A great guide to what to do on those days when you wake up inexplicably cranky and feel like everybody is getting on your nerves (it happens!). From getting familiar with your feelings to practicing the "physiological sigh," from how to prep for upcoming social interactions to learning to make more positive predictions, lots of good tips in this article.

Quote of the week ✍️ 

"Beauty is not in the face; beauty is a light in the heart".  (Kahlil Gibran)

As always, I welcome your insights or questions in the comments. You can also send me an email or book a call to talk about where you're at in life and where you'd like to go. Also, don't forget to share this with someone who may find it useful.

Enjoy your weekend and TTYS