What are Your Moments?
What are Your Moments?
Since my last blog about exercising your ‘positivity bias’, some readers have commented that they feel more energetic. Keep choosing your word of the day and think about powerful moments.
We all have defining moments in our lives… graduating from school, getting married, having babies, starting our careers… But what about day to day moments? Small conversations with a stranger in a coffee shop, big conversations with a loved one, last conversations with a parent or a child… what moments matter to you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jNVPalNZD_I
What was your favorite moment yesterday?
A second idea towards reaching your positive, happiest, most meaningful life, is to pay attention to those small everyday moments. When we capture special moments in our day, we can actually cultivate greater connection, love, and meaning in all parts of our lives. But there is more to it…
I have been thinking about the energy and power of love and positivity. So much research supports the insight that expectations contribute significantly to outcomes. So who doesn’t want a positive outcome today… for you… for others? What if we practiced to ignore the negative and highlighted more of the positive moments we share together?
I’ve been fascinated recently by computer geologist Gregg Braden’s book “The Isaiah Effect”. In it, he talks about the power we all have to raise the positivity vibration in our communities and for our whole planet… so much so, we can actually change weather patterns.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtlROLg_tnk&list=PLsPEl7Y86qJWKW6dPHBRbJq4SZk_Mkfl5
What this means for you and me and our children is that as we see our children, our students, our partners, so they will become… so all of us will become. We influence each other’s potential.
A few weeks ago in a session with one of my favorite clients, I had the opportunity of refocusing a parent towards appreciating the powerful optimism of her son. He had expressed the hopes of becoming a hockey star. His Mom initially suppressed her son’s excitement with a modest sign… but I thought, why not?
Optimism, gratitude, intelligence, curiosity, self-control, enthusiasm, and perseverance are the 7 strengths shown to be game changers (Science of Character). Why not cultivate and enable your child’s optimism, your student’s dreams, your partner’s love and let them discover what is truly possible?
If you are a coach or a teacher, as you see your students, so they will become. This is replicated in research. This is also shown in therapy. The single most important factor in positive therapy outcomes is the relationship between the therapist and the client. It’s not the model of treatment or any other contributing factor. It’s simply the power of the relationship!
I play a lot of doubles tennis and I see this on the court as well between coaches and students, between doubles partners… Positive relationships and our expectations may be one of the most impactful factors on court… and in life.
It is so important to be conscious in the way we relate to each other. Life and relationships are defined in small moments we all have together… every day.
Thanks for being in mine!
P.S. What was your best big or small moment in your day?
I’d love it if you could comment on this blog… see below 🙂
We are in Greece right now and there was a medicane — Mediterranean cyclone… a small cobblestone path turned into a river in a matter of seconds…We had to wade it out in a local coffee shop with some others. I loved it… met some adventurers from Toronto.
What’s your story?
An early morning cup of tea looking out over an African sunrise. I am at present visiting friends on a farm in South Africa.
I’m sipping coffee as I’m reading your comment…totally with you on that morning coffee ritual… and being on a farm with friends in South Africa must feel so magical. It’s wonderful how these morning rituals connect us all around the world.
Wonderful reading your blogs Jo-Anne. They make my day.
Enjoy your Greece adventure!!!
Jacquie xo
Thanks, Jacquie! It’s great to hear that. We had a great time in Greece and we are loving being back in beautiful Vancouver … especially with these gorgeous Vancouver fall days.