I was just recently delighted by a grandchild’s response to a birthday present – and it really made me reflect on how great it is to be surprised by joy, and how we play a big part in not letting that happen for ourselves. Part of it, of course, is simply that we are now adults, and not surprised by much of anything these days – been there, done that! Another piece is that our adult personnae is not often allowed much wide-eyed wonder and delight – we’re too sophisticated. And underneath both of those may be the reality that we’re bored, have at some level given up, and settled for the same old, same old.
There are some steps we can take to move beyond that. The first is a willingness to take a hard look at what isn’t working, what has become boring, but is still taking up a lot of time. We may need to rearrange some time, resources, or relationships to make room for something new – and granting yourself the power to do that may bring on an unexpected spark of joy right there and then!
We often act like making changes is difficult because we don’t wish to hurt or disappoint other people – but it’s usually actually more about ourselves clinging to the rut we’re stuck in. There is a real push/pull between loving our routines and feeling stuck in them, controlled by them. Once you’ve allowed a little space for things to open up in your day to day activities, let your curiosity be your guide! What looks intriguing to you? What have you been wondering about? Anything you’ve felt jealous watching someone else do?
Most of us are surprised by who we have turned out to be – let’s take the time to explore that and become our fullest self.
Ask yourself –
Boredom or loneliness in my life – anything I’m willing to do to get rid of that, and juice up something else?
Curiosity – do I think that’s a thread to follow or a waste of time?
When was the last time I allowed myself to be surprised by joy?
Here’s to celebrating some joyful surprise in your life today and everyday. Patty and Suzanne