How often are we so caught up in worry, thinking about all the things we have to do, places we have to be, people we have to argue with, kids throwing up in the back seat, you know, life that we miss the signs that something amazing is about to happen if we’d just quiet the mind, slow down and open our eyes wide! Today look for the signs!
When I was a college freshman, I figured out I needed a better way to make decisions. All my life, I’d been told that if I was a good enough member of my religious organization and prayed often enough, I would always have supernatural guidance. This didn’t work well for me in high school. I decided to regard college as a fresh start, a chance to make decisions differently. I tried all sorts of things: coin tosses, wishes, 11:11, etc. I did all of this consulting my best friend. It took me a good 18 months to realize that the answer to many of the questions I asked was actually my best friend, who, had been right in front of me the entire time. It was frightening to realize this and even more frightening for me to realize how long it took me to figure it all out. I think often times, people don’t want to see signs from the universe. They can be startling, upsetting and unexpected. Driving past them is easier than facing them.
I agree with you Ananda. I believe that it is a natural tendency to overlook the most obvious. Whether this serves a purpose or not is certainly something to consider. But in relation with this article, it is vital for us to begin searching for answers in the ordinary rather than the extraordinary.
One thing I learned after I’ve been through a really terrible year is that we shouldn’t overlook all the simplest and smallest things around us. Sure everything is busy and stressful but taking a deep breath every once in a while and admiring and noticing your surroundings will make you realize a lot of things; be it something you’ve been wondering about or just something that made you smile, the little things are very important.
When do we ever take time to slow down and ” smell the roses?”. Some people are in such a rush to do something or come up with something that they often times miss really cool things. When I was in high school, I often times took the bus to school because it was faster than walking. Though there were times that I would miss my bus and then I start walking. As I’m walking, I start noticing tiny shops and bakeries I normally would miss seeing riding on the bus. Walking around, although slower, helps me notice my surroundings more and to be on the look out for a new place to eat out, yum.
The simple answers are usually the hardest to see. We live in a society where bigger is better and more technology makes everything available at the click of a button. I find myself dialing back to the basics a lot just to feel a sense of actual accomplishment in the things I do, day to day. Simple things like hanging laundry outside to dry and skipping the dryer. It takes longer, but no dryer can get my clothes smelling as fresh.
You absolutely nailed it there Sarah! If we learn to take joy from the little things that we do every day, and take the time to notice small things, a funny cloud here, a weird-looking insect there, you name it – we can redirect our attention to the fact that life is for living, not for stressing over and running yourself ragged.