Sometimes we get so bogged down by the challenges of life that we stop seeing the beauty around us. We become myopic. The goal being, to make it through the day. Some may be facing complex challenges in their lives that caused them to become numb, but beauty is omnipresent. We need to take a moment to notice the blessings in nature and in our lives. It can transform the way one feels and also offer hope and peace at a time of upheaval.
No one is immune to problems. There is no person with a perfect life. We need to change how we perceive things to feel that there will be an end to the turmoil. When we step out in nature, we need to open our eyes and really observe the miracles.
Magnificence is everywhere a rainstorm, a bird’s nest, the intricate design of a spider web, the vivid color of a flower, the ebb and flow of the ocean, or the spiral in a whelk shell. The examples are endless. When we notice the natural phenomena and how nature renews itself, it’s a reminder that we can too. We are capable of metamorphosis, just like the caterpillar that becomes a butterfly.
When we spend time in nature and appreciate the beauty, we understand that we are uniting with a higher power. We become aware of what matters in life. We recognize our connectedness. A simple walk in nature can help put life’s problems in perspective.
How you can begin to notice more beauty in your everyday, ordinary life
We live in a vast world full of beautiful things, if only we would only look up and notice. And this noticing, it takes a little practice, so don’t be hard on yourself if it doesn’t come easily.
Make space for it
I’m talking about white space. Time where you have nothing planned. Nothing pressing to do. Few weekends back we only had a couple of things planned and I was able to notice how tired I felt. Two daytime naps later and I’m very thankful for noticing what my body needed to tell me.
Invite curiosity
As adults, laden with responsibility and other boring adult duties we forget the magic of a curious mind. When I was little, my curious mind had me experimenting with potions to ward off ghosts. Or creating a tiny army of robot friends from Lego.
But as an adult, when I get a whiff of curiosity I often ward it off with some kind of ‘busy work’. What happens when we embrace curiosity? We become attuned to the beauty in our ordinary lives.
Curiosity is a tool for the scavenger hunt
Elizabeth Gilbert said
Unschedule (a little)
I’m a planner, a scheduler, someone who always calls first and expects you to too 😜 But I’ve realized that allowing a little more spontaneity into my life means I get to notice things I wouldn’t have.
What I gained when I started to notice more
When I made way for more noticing, I gained more joy, and more delight. I felt gratitude more.
You can’t help but be thankful when you are noticing the beautiful in the ordinary. In fact, I feel more grateful for the ordinary beautiful than the extraordinary beautiful. As if it’s earned it’s place by just simply being.
Kenrick Vaz 