Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, but how exactly do eyes "behold"?
I'm a firm believer that there is beauty in every situation, if we choose to see it. Our attention can easily become pin-pointed on what is causing us distress in this world. How often do were stop and appreciate the things bring us comfort, encouragement, and optimism?
Can you change your eye functioning in order to experience more beauty?
Not quite. But would you believe me if I told you that you can change your brain?
While it sounds like the synopsis to a science fiction movie, it is indeed a basic fact in behavioral neuroscience that your reality is only as real as how your brain processes it. Reality is as unique as the person experiencing and interpreting it, therefore, if you change your thinking habits, neuroplasticity will occur, ie. you will "re-wire" your brain into thinking in a more positive light.
Read below on five tips to powering your mind with positivity!
1) Create Opportunity for Positivity
Practicing a gratuitous perspective in situations brings you greater opportunity to find the beauty in any given situation. Beware of negative tunnel vision, as it can become a habit that is hard to break. This doesn't necessarily mean ignore the bad, but it means re-evaluate it, weigh it against the good, and decide how much you're going to let it affect you. Taking a step back and looking at the bigger picture makes it easier to objectively view the situation in a clearer light.
Trying to find the lessons and meaning in any situation leads to further wisdom and appreciation of the present.
Ever feel like that class or that meeting was a waste of time? It's only a waste if you allow it to be. Remain open-minded so that you can attach greater meaning to your life. Not every moment in life will be full of glitz and glamour, but you have the ability to choose and see the value behind what a situation could be teaching you. Embrace the emotion and humanity behind all life situations. The only thing we are guaranteed is this moment right now.
2) Stay In-Tune with the Details of a Moment
Some lessons that life teaches us tend to be more subtle others. Whether you're being taught patience, perseverance, or just how to smile and laugh at yourself, simple lessons can often be overlooked. Finding the beauty in little life details can draw your focus to appreciation of the present, and it can help you practice a gratuitous mindset.
For example, jazzing up your morning routine can make all the difference; put a space heater and coffee pot on a timer so your room will be warm when you wake up and you'll be greeted with a welcoming aroma (and caffeine!). Monumental differences don't necessarily have to be monumental in size. Appreciate the details of life, such as playing your favorite album on your morning commute or even taking those extra ten minutes to cook up a little breakfast treat.
Simple pleasures are more sustainable to incorporate into your daily life and they have potential to go a long way. You have the power to start your day with a peaceful ritual that can make even the most hectic of days feel more grounded.
3) Remain Mindful of Your Humanity
Sick? Take time for yourself to rest, recover, and embrace leisure. Your health is needed to do your best in life. Take the time now, so that you can be better sooner.
Stressed? Set intentions for completing tasks in a realistic manner and tackle them in bite-sized chunks. Don't aim to complete everything in one day. Prioritize and go at a comfortable pace. Do yourself a favor and implement regular organization in order to stay ahead of your stress.
Grieving? Appreciate the out pour of love you wish to give and channel it into a way to honor your loss. Cry and relish the emotions that are a manifestation of your love and embrace the human experience. Be aware of your own mortality and use it as motivation to increase the positivity in your life. Go out with friends and tell your parents you love them. Incorporate love in your life and you will always have fulfilled days.
And remember, that being human is raw, messy, & imperfect.
When you're scrambling to hand in that un-stapled paper with a coffee stain, it may be an initial instinct to be embarrassed or ashamed. Learning to laugh at moments of imperfection is incredibly freeing. Let go and be a human.
4) Embrace Your Down Falls
Challenges are temporary and they are meant to keep us humble. Conflict in life, whether it be in relationships, routines, or our lifestyles, is needed to keep us honest. Maintaining a bubble around your lifestyle is unrealistic, and becoming too comfortable sets limits on your living. Disruptions from conflict are natural so that change can occur. Just like wildfires, forests need destruction from time to time in order to regrow and re-balance.
Highs are not maintainable and lows need to occur in order to learn lessons and appreciate the highs. Tests of the heart are the hardest, but they build character and strength. Mistakes are opportunities for new growth! The only true failure is not trying. Don't fear change and adjustments, but see them as a way of rescuing yourself out of old ways of living.
Pain will occur in life, that is a fact, however, you can choose to accept it, and soften the blow by filling your life with as much love as possible. The power of acceptance leads you trust in the process of building strength.
5) Get Excited for What's to Come
Everything is a preparation for something more amazing.
In new, raw emotions, your survival instincts kick in and you begin to think about new possibilities. For a rainbow to come, there needs to be a storm, but you have the ability to practice grace, faith, and love in the rain, through kindness to yourself and others.
There is an opportunity to gain something from everything that life throws at us. Go beyond the acceptance of the waves and learn how to surf. Find inspiration in the darkness to bring purpose back into your life. Believe that each sunrise brings a new day and a new chance for your life to change.
Savannah Rose Johnson