Leave it at the door

 It's a perfectly rainy grey day. My 4 year old son is playing in our backyard with the wet dirt under a constant drizzle. He says he hears a frog croaking by the silver birch. I love his unassuming wisdom. 

Today I cannot help but reflect on leaving my troubles at the door.. and enjoying the moment for what it has to share. Have you felt that way sometimes? 

All too often I walk through my days carrying burdens of the past. And I have heavy burdens... or so I say as I justify their existence. But I know life doesn't have to be this way. 

There are two simple things you can do to fill your days with wonder, doesn't matter where you live and what your personal situation is. None of this stuff is new but I know it works from my personal experience.

  • Leave it at the door
When you wake up in the morning, the first thing you can do is to set a conscious intention to let things go as soon as they arise. Notice when the darkness arises in you. You will need to notice the physical signs in yourself.  I usually feel a clenching in the gut or a tightening of the jaw. When you notice this, take a deep breath or two, or as many as it takes, and watch the feeling carefully. The more you notice it, the sooner it will subside. You're letting yourself notice the feeling, have the feeling, but you're not letting it hijack your mind... you're leaving it at the door. The more you try this, the better you'll get at this. 

  • Gratitude journal 
Before you turn the lights out at night, say a quick thanks for one thing that brought you wonder during the day. Try and make it different every day. It will force you to really notice. There is wonder hiding in every moment, waiting to be noticed. When the ordinary moments start getting wonderful, that's when you're really living. You're noticing it all and giving thanks for the mundane. I like to write these down because it gives me a chance to go back and see the wonderful experiences I've had. But you may just want to reflect quietly and make a mental note. The method isn't important, the task is. 

I guarantee that these two simple practices will improve the quality of your experience of life. You may not immediately notice the difference, but in time they will help you change your outlook. 

Give it a go... what've you got to lose?

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