More happiness, presence and connection

During a post dinner stroll last night while visiting family in the NY countryside, the fireflies were in full force. My son was catching them, naming them, admiring them, and then letting them go. He must have caught upwards of twenty, watching with delight every time they sparked away.

It reminded me of a mindfulness practice we work on with clients.

We call them flashes (re: our mindfulness teacher Rebecca Brenner) - brief moments where you notice you are present and feel connected. Also termed glimmers, flashes are rooted in polyvagal theory (the theory of how the nervous system impacts mental health). Nerd alert.

We love the practice of finding and noticing flashes. They counteract our natural human tendency to focus on the negative, they help us get out of our head and into our body, and if you make a habit of noticing them you might actually be able to train your brain to seek out the things that make you feel positive and connected.

Likely you have had flashes - 

Like when the fighter jets did a flyover before the parade on the 4th of July.

Or when Taylor took the stage.

Or when that perfect song comes on and everyone in the car belts it.

Flashes are pure magic.

As we find our summer stride and take in the longer days, we want to offer up this practice as a way for you to find more flashes - and more happiness, more presence and more connection.

TRY THIS: 

Set an intention to look for things in your day that make you feel happy and connected.

• Lay in the grass on your back and look up at the clouds moving. Can you recognize any shapes?

• Snuggle with your child or your pet and really notice yourself feeling all the feels.

• Sit with your morning bevvie and take in the early morning sounds of the birds waking up.

• Pull up photos from your fave vacay with your fave peeps and put yourself back in that place in your minds’ eye.

• Take a bite of dripping, sweet watermelon and then try to describe the taste.

• Turn up your favorite song and dance around the house.

• Take a hike in nature, noticing the butterflies fluttering along.

Happy Summering!