6 MONTHS OF CHOOSING TO BE DELIGHTED
Back at the beginning of January I chose "Delight" as my Word of the Year. It was inspired by the quote I have in my blog's sidebar:
Living imperfectly with great delight
FOCUSING MY MINDSET
I'm make the conscious choice to live my life with as much positivity as possible. That doesn't mean that I think life is all sunshine and rainbows, but it does mean that I look for the glimmers of joy that come my way each day, and I find they help to outweigh the small hassles and headaches that are also a part of living in our chaotic and noisy world.
I liked the word "Delight" because it brings with it a sense of whimsy and of finding those little sparkles of joy and acknowledging them. When you continually look for something, you're much more likely to find it. I will admit to having a few down times over the last couple of months, but rather than letting them colour my world to the exclusion of everything else, I've chosen to zoom in on the positives that are still there in amongst the doldrums.
I'M NO POLLYANNA
I've heard the expression "toxic positivity" thrown around online, and I understand how daunting it can be when someone is telling you that you can control your world by pretending everything is sparkly and perfect. That to me is very Pollyanna-ish and feels a bit fake when we all know that life isn't a series of uninterupted fantastic and fabulous events.
Positivity for me is about acknowledging those down times, but also seeking out the good stuff too. At the end of each month when I share my Three Delights, it can be a bit of a scratch around to find something in amongst my very dull and ordinary life, but when I take the time to look, there's always something small and happy floating around - looking for it brings it into focus and helps me find that little bit of delight that I'd miss if I hadn't paused to seek it out.
ALL THAT TO SAY
"All that to say..." seems to be my favourite turn of phrase at the moment - it comes from a guy whose podcast I listen to regularly - he says it after he's explained the background to what he's been talking about and wants to drill down to the point he's trying to make. So, from me the "all that to say...." today is that I'm delighted I chose "Delight" for my Word, I'm just loving the sound of delight, delightful, delicious, because they're words that sound happy on my tongue.
I know things are tough, I know our world can be a hard place, I know that life is usually fairly ordinary and mundane, but I also know there are little delicious, delightful moments in the mix. I'll be hunting them down each month to share, and to remind myself that life really is a Delight.
WHAT ABOUT YOU?
How's your Word of the Year going? If you don't have a Word, what do you use to remind yourself to keep moving forward and to focus your mind on the good in our world?
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Hi Leanne. I find that writing in our glimmer journal, each evening, has made an enormous difference, in both Tim's and my life. I find myself, living in the moment, more, and anticipating having that special moment to record, later. As you've said, living a simple life is truly delightful.♥️
ReplyDeleteGlimmer Journal, I love that title!
DeleteHi Christina - I think consciously pausing and looking for those moments of happiness or brightness that can otherwise slip by unnoticed is the key to living a life of gratitude and contentment - and delight. Simple living is so much better when you do it intentionally. x
DeleteHi,, Leanne - I wholeheartedly agree that what we tend to get more of what we focus upon. Delight has been a wonderful WOTY for you. I have two pocket WOTYs this year - one for mind and one for body. But they are intermingling - I am glad to have chosen both.
ReplyDeleteHi Donna - I love your little secret squirrel pocket WOTY's - I hope you'll share them towards the end of the year and how they worked to inspire you. I always enjoy seeing how others use this to make their year better and brighter. x
DeleteSo good to read your delightful update Leanne!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Deb - it's been a great reminder to live with a positive mindset and to look for those glimmers to be grateful for each day. x
DeleteHi Leanne, I don’t have a word for the year but I do try to be positive and I’m grateful. Now I’m in my 60’s I notice I’m happiest in the so called simpler moments rather than the purchases etc. I value family and friends and experiences more than anything nowadays. The special moments often aren’t planned and if we’re not mindful they can escape us. I guess if I had a word for this year it would be ‘grateful’.
ReplyDeleteHi - I think gratitude is the key to living life well - the more we appreciate who and what we have in our life, the less we hanker after more. It brings a sense of contentment and takes away that drive to want a bigger, shinier life. I love living this small, simple life I have now and I'm finding that my 60's are turning out to be the decade I've really settled into living life on my own terms - it's just lovely.
DeleteHi Leanne, ‘Halfway through a year … ‘ gave me pause. A neighbour of mine often uses the phrase ‘life is not all unicorns’ when we discuss annoyances. Your phrase ‘all sunshine and rainbows’ is a fun, light way to describe the challenges. I also really like your phrase ‘colour my world.' A soft way to describe the down times, almost on a spectrum of our perception and mood at the time. Years ago, Pollyannish was an almost negative term - not really used as much - your ‘hunting’ down the positive moments is a place I would like to hang out and visit regularly.xx For me, “all that to say … is, today is a good day.” For real, Leanne. It helps me stay in the present moment. And, that is all I truly have. 💕Erica
ReplyDeleteHi Erica - I think being in the moment - living each day as it comes - is the key to not getting to wound up in regrets or worries. I find myself more anxious, less settled, less calm as soon as I start looking too far outside of the present 24 hours. Life has a lot of non-unicorn times, but there are also plenty of sunshine and rainbow moments too. I'm doing my best to not drown when the little trials arrive, and to be grateful when the brighter moments appear. That's the best we can do my friend - oh, yes, we can also cheer each other on - and you are an expert at that! xx
DeleteIt’s lovely to see how well things are going for you Leanne. That’s been a great word you chose and you are, as best you can, living it! Congratulations…Denyse x
ReplyDeletePS I had to abandon my words..Mindful of My Capacity because ..of the burnout taking over. But I still think about it more now I am recovering well.
Hi Denyse - what I love about having a Word is that you can leave it, or keep it, or return to it whenever you like during the year. I find it so much less pressure-ing to have something simple to remind me to keep looking up and to be grateful. So glad your recovery continues to go well. x
DeleteHi Leanne, I am two months into the new phase of my life, the phase of retired life. I am keeping myself busy doing everything for which I didn't get time while I was working. I am not hurrying into doing anything. There is no pressure of To-Dos racing against deadlines. What keeps me going now is being focussed on being peaceful, calm and being focussed on whatever I am doing.
ReplyDeleteHi Pradeep - retirement is a journey in itself isn't it? We launch into it thinking we know what it will bring, but it often surprises us with new directions. It's such a joy to be able to go with the flow and to see how this next chapter unfolds.
DeleteI recall when I chose Joy as my WOTY, it really allowed me to find joy in each day. I guess it's the same with delight! Even in my darkest days this past year, I still did try to find those moments of joy/delight. So much of that was from the people who supported me, those who cheered me on as I slogged through, and those who continue to encourage me as I'm still finding it tough going. Now, I stop to look at the rainbows (more common now as rainy season started). I smile through one-more walk with our dog (she's not used to being on leash whenever she is out - no back yard to laze in for any of us... I smile because I need to for those moments). And I find delight in a spontaneous lunch date with a friend, treating myself to a pedicure, or buying my favorite snack food (and trying not to over eat it but make it last for a few days!). Focusing on those things does not make the tough stuff go away, but is eases my soul and helps me re-enter the fray.
ReplyDeleteHi Pat - I think that last sentence sums it up beautifully - it's not that you can choose to be happy and that makes all the bad stuff go away, it's that you can choose to find moments of joy in amongst all the difficulties that life can toss our way. I love that you still find those moments and that you consciously seek them out - they help you to remember that life can be good and that it will get better with more time. I really admire how you're tackling such a life altering situation - one step in front of the next all the way to the finish line! x
DeleteI love the word "delightful," Leanne, and how you've connected it with glimmers of joy. I agree with you that life can be heavy and it does no good to pretend otherwise, but even in the darkest times...or just the mundane times...there are glimmers of joy to be found and things to be delighted for, if only we remember to look for them. My words of the year are Intrepid Possibilities. I'm not sure I've been particularly intrepid, but I certainly have been opening myself up to possibilities.
ReplyDeleteHi Christie - I've really enjoyed seeing all the possiblilities you've found for yourself each season - and making them "possibilities" rather than a list of "have-to's". It keeps it lighter and more fun. Finding those things that bring joy really helps keep life a little lighter and brighter - and looking back at them brings a sense of gratitude too. Still another half of the year to intrepidly pursue those delightful moments. x
DeleteLove your WOTY, Leanne. When I say it I see sparkles, hear chimes, feel shivers. My WOTY is Presence. I want always to feel and be in the moment, in the here and now, My final written words are always, “So on with my TODAY ”
ReplyDeleteHi Judith - I love sparkles, chimes, and shivers - I love just finding something to be happy about during my TODAY. And yes, I keep coming back to being present right now - not looking back and regretting or looking too far forward and worrying - just being grateful for the day I've been given - and living it well. Life really is good isn't it? :)
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