Being the Gift of Small Things, Blessings, and Beauty

Have you ever wondered about the secret to happiness? What is the key to feeling that deep contentment that seeps into your bones and flows into the world when you are happy?  Once that happiness is cultivated, it becomes a gift you give to yourself and share with others over and over again. 

But, how do we cultivate this gift within our self? 

Let’s begin with what happiness is…and is not. Happiness is not the absence of fear or frustration or sorrow. Happiness is the way we approach emotions and circumstances that threaten to flood us with a tsunami of hopelessness. Happiness is not a fleeting emotion; it is a way of life — a state of well being and contentment.

2020 has seemed like a decade of uncertainty and challenge instead of twelve months. If you are like me, it was a year filled with many opportunities to either get trapped in the uncertainty or rise to the challenge. As I reflect upon the year, I am amazed at everything that has occurred. I cannot believe how much my life, the life of my son, the lives of friends and colleagues have changed. Unfortunately not all this change is for the better. 

These changes provided ample opportunity for the reframe. And, while I admit that I am a master re-framer — able to see the good, the potential in most situations — I have my moments of despair this year. During this year, I’ve even questioned if I have ever been happy and what happy looks like. So, this year has provided the ultimate reframe!

In this ultimate reframe, there are so many opportunities to create a way of life that is filled with contentment. By contentment I mean being grateful for what we have, acknowledging our blessings, and finding ways to expand the beauty of our lives.

Okay. Don’t get anxious. Breathe. This task is not such a tall order when we reframe in little bits. What if we begin by accepting that happiness is rooted in being content and satisfied with an edge. This is not the satisfaction of complacency but the edgy satisfaction that comes from being content in the moment while setting goals and moving toward them. It is about being grateful for the good in your life while continuing to strive toward your dreams. 

How do you get there? Start with the little things!

• Acknowledge the small things in your life — or those things that are working.
• Acknowledge the blessings — those are the things that tip the scales in your favor or show you the glint of the silver lining.
• Find at least one way, each day, to expand the beauty in your life. 

Let’s move into the tangible with some examples from my life? 

• The small things: even through the upheaval of the year and the loss of several income streams, I have a part time job that pays most of my bills. 
• The blessings: my relationship with my son, the listening ears of friends.
• Expanded beauty: the daily reflections arcs that I share on Facebook. These are a way to start my day and share that beauty with others.

Now you do it! What are the small things, the blessings, the expanding beauty in your life? I am not saying that this activity is always easy. Sometimes we’ve got to dig into who we are to discover the small things, the blessings, and the beauty within. And, through this acknowledgement we are the gift with share first with our self and then with the world. 

Here’s to being the gift of rolling moments of small things, blessings, and beauty in 2021.

Vanessa F. Hurst, ms, is an Intuitive-Coach-Catalyst, who uses mindfulness practices and intuition tools to create strategies for personal and relationship transformation. She is a professional speaker & author who weaves inner wisdom into all she touches. Her books are available @ www.wildefyrpress.com. Her most recent book, As Natural As Breathing: Being Intuitive, is available on Amazon. Contact Vanessa for life coaching, intuitive consultations, keynotes, and programs.

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