I am SO happy right NOW
“Joy is not a constant. It comes to us in moments - often ordinary moments. Sometimes we miss out on the bursts of joy because we're too busy chasing down the extraordinary moments. Other times we're so afraid of the dark we don't dare let ourselves enjoy the light. A joyful life is not a floodlight of joy. That would eventually become unbearable. I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments gracefully strung together by trust, gratitude and inspiration” – Brene Brown
From the desk of Allie: As we welcome November, a month often characterized as a month of “gratitude”, let’s slow down and get present.
Last week, on the night before Halloween, I had a “burst of joy”. It was 7pm, the music was on, the cookies were in the oven, the “Wik party of 4” was together and it was pumpkin carving time. As my husband and three-year-old son, Charlie, dug out the pumpkin guts, and I cheered them on while holding my 9-month old in my arms, I could feel my cheeks warming and my heart beating. I realized just how present I was to this moment of pure joy and gratitude. So, I said it … I said out loud, “I am so happy right now!” Charlie, holding fists of seeds and slime, immediately smiled and declared “you’re my best friends!”
It has taken me several years of practice to presence myself to the moment; several years of practice to open my head, heart and guts, to settle in and connect to what is happening around me. I will admit, three years ago, the “old Allie” would be carving the pumpkin, while checking email, packing lunches, having someone on speaker phone, cleaning the dishes, all while complaining to my husband about a situation at work. I’ve consciously traded in that practice, and in turn have gifted myself more “bursts of joy” than I could ever imagine.
If you are reading this and thinking something like “my life is moving at a thousand miles per hour. Who knows what moments of joy I may be missing”, here’s a great place to start: the next time you feel happy or grateful literally say it out loud. Say “I am so happy right now” and see how your environment responds. The results will astound you. Declaring the feeling in the present moment is one of the best ways I know how to practice being PRESENT.
So, who is willing?
Keep up the inspiring work,
Allie and Sandy
