Imagine our world if each of us took a moment to pause more often and reflect.
What if we were more attuned to the miracle of everyday life? Amidst our hectic schedules and the continual pursuit of progress, there is an invitation to press pause. There’s an opportunity to reflect. And there’s the chance to see the gift of love in our lives each and every day. Imagine the joy, the inner peace, and the deeper levels of love this could create for our world. Like a ripple effect, it just starts with one person. And today it could start with you.
Waking up to the gift of life is always available to us, and the truth is we all have the power to add more joy, peace, and love to the world. The noise and chaos of our external world can make it hard to see the gift of every day life. But seeing this gift, despite life’s challenges, is how a deeper sense of joy and peace settles into our spirit.
Rediscovering joy in a hectic world
With all that’s happening in the world, it’s easy to get caught up in feelings of stress and worry, forgetting what life is really about. Our attention gets pulled in many directions as we try to multi-task, and we lose sight of the bigger picture. Amidst the rush, we get weighed down by expectations – of ourselves, of others, of the external world.
This can lead to unintentional suffering when really, life is about finding joy and meaning in each moment. Yes, even in the midst of a hectic world, because there is always an opportunity to find joy and meaning in both the ups and downs of life. Focusing on what’s going wrong in the world is always available. That’s easy. So, instead try looking for what’s right. Your whole life will change.
So, when you’re busy rushing around, remember to pause, take a breath, and notice the beauty of life – a kind stranger’s smile, the comfort of an old friend, or a lone flower sprouting through concrete. When we tune in to the here and now, we see the amazing reality of life – a reality that reveals how much joy, goodness and love truly exists in the world.
While less common in headlines, these beautiful qualities of joy, love and inner peace are found in people of all backgrounds, values, and beliefs. It’s remarkable how these qualities are shared by people from across the globe. And that’s because we all share the fundamental needs of love, meaning, and the ability to contribute and grow as humans. They are innately human and connect us.
The power of conscious connections
Love is the oxygen of life and the foundation that unites us all. For example, think of a family, friend group, or community you know – one with diverse members that couldn’t be more different, yet there is mutual respect and appreciation. Maybe there are religious or political differences. And these differences are united by love, despite each member being unique and having a different world view. This reminds us that love is a powerful force that connects us and ultimately heals us. It strengthens the quality of our relationships, which are directly correlated to our wellbeing.
The quality of your life is determined by the quality of your relationships.
This provides even more of a reason to bring love to the table when it comes to our connections with others.
So, look for opportunities to bring more connection, love, respect, and admiration to your relationships. It’s not about agreeing with everyone’s differences, but rather seeing humanity in one another. It’s choosing to honor those differences instead of judging or fearing them. Decide to give your loved ones the greatest gifts of peace, kindness, and harmony so that all of us experience a higher quality of life — including you.
A call for harmony: life’s unseen gifts
Often, we think of gifts as a physical exchange like birthday gifts or presents under the tree. But the TRUE gifts are the intangibles: the gifts of joy, love, or kindness that warm the heart. And as we tap into these gifts, it creates one of the most beautiful gifts we can give to loved ones – the intangible, but deeply felt gift of harmony.
Harmony is when we all play our part to collectively create more alignment in the world – through our love, our compassion, our empathy, our kindness. When we do our part, it spreads to others and creates a beautiful harmony, like how an orchestra creates a melodic harmony from each instrument.
The challenges and problems we face are also opportunities to bless others. They lead to growth and strengthen our ability to do more, give more, and share more. Through life’s struggles, we learn to find the beauty, the miracles, and the grace of life. And like a muscle, the more we work out our ability to see the grace in life, the stronger it becomes.
Ultimately, it’s not what we get, but who we become – and what we contribute – that gives meaning to our lives. When we see that it’s all a gift – life, labor, gratitude, contribution, drive, and YOU – we can do, become and create anything.
Choosing joy, peace and love: the greatest gift is you
We are blessed with many gifts. But in the rush of life, we can forget the beautiful gift of our being. The most important gift you can offer loved ones is just being YOU. You in your fullness, your presence.
Share the gift of yourself – your drive, your labor, your generosity, your gratitude. Know the gifts you bring to the world – things that light you up – and use them to spread kindness, joy, peace, and love. It only takes one person to ignite a change.
If you fall off track, simply re-center yourself, take a deep breath and bring yourself back to this moment. Remind yourself of who you truly are (a person of love and light!) so you can tap into your inner gifts. It’s a practice that gets easier the more you do it, so don’t wait to start.
Our wish for you in this and every season is to enjoy the space of being because life is a miracle. And so are you.
