Creative Director: Appreciate

I Create: Creative Director of My Life.

Here’s the thing, I always considered myself to be a positive person. But as I go deeper into my own self learning with the intention of expanding my consciousness, I realize how barely, tip-of-the-iceberg, my level of positivity was. Maybe I’m not giving myself enough credit, but I’m trying to emphasize a point. That as you do the work, you see two things: the progress you’ve made, and how much potential there still is.

Creating a life you love, means cleaning up and improving your outlook and perspective. My grandpa had a saying, ‘wow, this should improve my outlook on life!’ He was mostly known to say this while looking at a table with a wonderful meal on it at a family gathering. I always thought to myself, he is probably the one person, or one of very few, that has no improvement to make with his outlook. He appreciated everything, everyone, and every moment.

‘What you appreciate, appreciates,’ I was just reading in a book. I’ve noticed more lately, how true this is. Focusing on that which you appreciate, means you are not focusing on that which might frustrate or annoy you. As I’ve grown calmer, in general, the moments of appreciation happen more frequently and the gaps in between of when I might be annoyed are shrinking. Putting energy into being annoyed is less and less appealing. It’s just pleasant to be in an appreciative frame of mind. So why go there? Why take any bait for negativity? So much is down to habit, and noticing. Being aware in those times when I become annoyed. And then asking myself, well, is it worth being annoyed about? What can I appreciate about this situation? The fact that I might be annoyed is actually bringing into my awareness of what I need to improve and shift, and hold the mirror up to my own actions. This may all sound obvious, but I’ve also found that with each perspective shift, some of the same lessons, land differently.

When you notice and take stock of what you appreciate, you keep finding more things to appreciate, and the things you bring your appreciative awareness to, bring more joy. I’ve been practicing and just looking around, to notice take my surroundings for granted. I have a full pantry right now. That’s something to really appreciate. It’s full because my husband and I both work, that’s something to appreciate. My husband is very good at his job and keeps getting recurring business, he has never had to advertise. That’s something to appreciate. I completely love my day job, it’s provided learning and skills that I hadn’t had before, it’s challenged me, I love the people that I work with, and it provides benefits for my family. That’s a lot to appreciate. After talking about investing in yourself last week, and in a different way, focus, or invest your attention on that which you appreciate, and it appreciates, just like a good investment.

As you keep going, the things to appreciate keep showing up. Being appreciative expands your heart. And that’s magnetic. In the past week, I’ve noticed again, a lot of people smiling at me. People I don’t know, and they just look over and then put a big smile on their face. Maybe they can sense my heart has a smile and that I’ll smile back. And I do. Remember, earlier this year, I knew that my ‘word of the year,’ was: Optimism. I have a feeling that it shows.

Until next week,

Devon