It’s Time To Celebrate Renewal
With winter 2019 in the rear view mirror, it’s time to celebrate renewal; to feel connected to the joy that emerges with the new shoots and buds on the trees. The air is rich with possibility; you feel it too, right? I’m a summer baby, so spring is especially attractive to me.
I’m that person who tops up the bird feeder regularly, so I can enjoy the antics of our feathered visitors. I like to think of it as time well invested rather than a waste of time.
It’s easy to spot joy in springtime: in a bird song, in a child learning to ride a bicycle and in the growth we observe all around us: flowers and buds on trees, like little miracles pop up and pop open. When we let fresh air into our homes, when we clear out closets and edit our belongings, we are signaling that we’re ready for a fresh start; a new beginning with a focus on what’s important to us, wherever we are in our lives.
In a world filled with distraction and noise, it’s easy to lose sight of what’s important though; we get swept up in the news of the day or the chatter in our minds. I have a few suggestions to offer that sure help me stay focused on my priorities, one of which is a positive attitude. Now don’t misunderstand me. I don’t mean it in a don’t worry be happy kind of way. I mean that I choose not to let negativity and complaining be driving forces in my life. I made this choice because I lived the alternative for many years and the result was more complaining and negativity. The main thing to recognize is that we shouldn’t believe everything we hear and we shouldn’t believe everything we think.
Just like planting seeds in springtime, we can plant ideas in our mind to germinate and with practice, teach ourselves new thinking habits. Science is now proving that we can rewire our brain by developing different thought patterns. I’m living proof that it works because at one time, I could easily find what was wrong with everything and everybody; now I know that’s just not helpful if I want to enjoy life and feel good. I should mention that it’s completely natural and healthy to experience a wide array of feelings however negativity and complaining like to get comfortable and hang around if we don’t politely show them the door.
It takes time and effort to teach ourselves to be aware of what we’re thinking and shift out what we don’t want but it’s an investment worth making and with practice you will set yourself up for life with habits that will support you, regardless of your circumstances.
Spring is a perfect time to focus on and cultivate new practices like appreciation, which in my world replaces complaining. Here’s how I shifted my mindset and I encourage you consider doing the same.
Tips to help you celebrate renewal
Make it a habit to focus on what you’re grateful for: the people and things you appreciate in your life. Write them down, so you can remind yourself when you need to. This shift in focus will naturally diminish those sometimes powerful fear thoughts. I advise writing down what you appreciate every day until it becomes a habit. The miracle of this exercise is you’ll realize how much you have to be grateful for. Our thoughts are the only thing we have control over. We can’t control life’s events or other people but we can control our thoughts about what happens to us; focusing on gratitude and appreciation is both helpful and healing for our thought patterns.
Developing this habit means that at any time, you can unplug from the chaos in your mind when life feels overwhelming, to refocus your thoughts on what you’re grateful for. All you have to do is look around and notice something beautiful: a flower or a photograph will do it. Think of people who make you feel good and experiences you’ve had that brought you joy. These little shifts disrupt the constant chatter in our mind and place an emphasis on what’s really important in our lives: the people and things we love.
The other magical trick I learned is from psychiatrist and author Dr. Daniel Amen. His prescription is when you wake up in the morning, make your first thought: this is going to be a great day. This simple statement replaces the nagging thoughts that are atomically served up and offer a positive direction for the day.
Wherever you go; whatever you do today. Look for miracles, expect them and create them for other people. This is going to be a great day.
This article was originally written for and published by The Wellington. Do you have a core question surrounding happiness, wellbeing or aging with grace? Send us your suggestions so we can open up the conversation for others too!