Weight Weight Just Love Me – Beauty – Day 53
Michelle LaBrosse, CCPM, PMP, PMI-ACP, RYT
I fell in love with this tree on my walk yesterday. Today I became a tree hugger. The Mom that I am, I made sure to let all the other plants around it know I loved them too (and why).
I get to enjoy the neighborhood several times a day as I take my little dog out to do her business. Every walk is just a little different, but what is always the same – I notice something delightful. The past couple of days it’s been the beauty of the mature stately trees on our standard loop. Last night, out on our walk, this odd crumudgeon flipped a u-turn pulled up beside me and barked at me for staring at him – really dude? I hadn’t noticed him at all – I was admiring the gorgeous red bush across the street. I stated as much, he sped off. It got me thinking, maybe I should have remarked about his beauty too….. Probably better that I hadn’t as I really don’t want to need this security system I just installed. I’d rather have a paranoid curmudgeon angry about my adoring gaze (not directed at him) – rather than a stalker. I did bless him with stability and peace in his heart as he sped away.
Beauty is all around – it’s a choice to notice it. To his own detriment, anger man was choosing to notice something different than I was. When I make the choice as I do on these little breaks in the day I get to take with my pup, I’m always surprised at what appears (usually in good ways). What is always the same though is how these delights open my heart and let the light of love flow in. No matter what is going on, about five minutes into the walk, I feel lighter, happier, all is right with the world just the way it is. Regardless of how others are experiencing our same reality.
A few months ago, my friend and colleague Scot Nichols taught me this little exercise where you start with your thumb and forefinger at the side corner of your eye and watch it as you move your hand to the edge of your peripheral vision. It is an interesting eye exercise to not only expand your peripheral vision, but it also gives the sensory feeling of seeing things as brighter. It’s like a photoshop filter for your brain to enhance whatever you are seeing. Whenever I do it, I do notice things more vibrantly and beautiful. I wonder if it’s as much too that I’m pausing in the busyness of my brain to take time to do so. I’m sure both are contributing and I do like the effect it has on me.
I’ve found beauty is both about being present to even notice and to have an object of adoration. For me, it’s also enhanced in the presence of love – as when I’m in my heart, open and loving, I more readily notice the beauty in the things of every day life. I notice the beauty more in myself as well. So beauty both creates love and exists more vibrantly in love. After practicing Scot’s exercise recently, I did an experiment and looked at myself in the mirror and asked – “what is it about me that is so stunningly gorgeous?” Just saying the words “stunningly gorgeous” – made it so – it lit up my whole appearance. I was able to love myself even more. Give it a try…..
Kate’s comment: I love the concept of dominant thought – instead of saying “don’t forget your keys”, saying “remember your keys” is much more likely to help remember your keys. It sounds like the same thing that Scot was working with. Steering speech towards more positive wording makes this loving language the dominant thought.
