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I See You, and other Holiday Miracles
| December 22, 2009 | |
| Jody England : Head Empowerment Ego |
As I was shopping for Christmas gifts for my family this weekend, I could feel myself getting swept up in the crush of materialism and holiday madness. I want to get my kids everything on their lists. I want them to be happy. I want their Christmas to be magical.
With all the external distractions it is hard to stay focused on how to create that for them if not with the bright, shiny things on their ever-growing menu of requests…
Can you relate?
In this season of 24/7 marketing messages about things you MUST HAVE in order to be happy, it is important to consciously shift your thoughts to ones that lead you toward feelings of happiness and fulfillment.
One of my favorite ways to get back into alignment is the “Ordinary is Extraordinary” game. It’s part of our BuzZen Box curriculum. The basic rules of the game are that you choose at least one activity per day to give extraordinary attention to. (More than once a day is even better.)
If you are brushing your teeth, for example, you engage all five senses. You notice the smell and taste of the toothpaste, the feel of the bathroom tile under your feet, the sound of the water running in the sink and the brightness of the lights reflecting your image. Any time you notice yourself drifting into thoughts other than about the present activity, you simply refocus and put your attention back on the task at hand.
What wonderful moments this creates! For me, one of the greatest rewards in this activity is in my interactions with my children. I can get so busy with my tasks, chores, and checklists that I end up mentally checking out of actually “being” with my kids. Through the Ordinary is Extraordinary activity I am reminded to check back in.
In Central Africa, when people meet each other on the road, one person begins with the traditional, “Hello. How are you?” and the response given is not the rote and mindless, “I’m fine. How are you?”
Instead, the answer given is translated into English as, “I see you.”
Imagine that. I see you. What a precious gift to give someone! To truly see them and be there in that moment with them. Who doesn’t want to really be seen by another human being? To know that you exist in a real way for someone else.
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[6 Comments] [6 Comments]
Thanks! I really enjoyed that a great message to have during all this craziness!
Beautiful message. Thanks so much for sharing. I will use “I see you” this holiday season and maybe beyond.
I love this article! I will immediately start doing “Ordinary is Extraordinary” and “I see you.” I already know it will make a huge difference in my life. I will pass this on to friends and family, too. Thank you!
Share away! It can make for some magical moments to have your entire family focused on being totally present with one another and enjoying the blessings of being together. Happy Holidays!
Fabulous article! I really need to work on this, especially during this time of year! Thank you for sharing this with us and for the great ideas. It is so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle and miss so much of the important stuff, because we are worried about the unimportant stuff!
Don’t we all! The key is to not beat yourself up if you notice you’ve shifted away from where you want to be. Just regroup and realign your thoughts and you’ll be right back in the zone.
Peace.