Mindful Joy

I must admit I do watch CNN for my news briefs but my husband and I switched to PBS News Hour to hold on to our sanity during these chaotic times. On PBS they have a segment at the end that highlights creative positive resources and folks that are facilitating amazing ideas, crafts and happenings. These wonderful stories make me smile and get me thinking about how so many of us have been lost in Mindful Sadness when there is also much Mindful Joy. I am not saying let’s do a bypass and ignore what actions we can take as individuals to improve our culture and current society. However Joy is all around us and our lens often focuses on the negative. We can get stuck in the chaos around us which drains us and creates depressive emotions and fatigue. For example some doctors and health care practitioners are now giving out Nature Prescriptions as part of a vast network of wellness throughout the US. This is a project through the National Parks Conservation Association: Click here to read the article and/or Click here to watch the video. There is a ton of research that shows that exposure to nature has health benefits for chronic health conditions and children’s issues such as ADHD, asthma and overall wellbeing. This is not earth shattering information to most of us but now it’s seeping into the culture….YAY……. BIG MINDFUL JOY MOMENT!!!!! Hey did you ever hear about Flower Flashes? NYC-Arts.org did a segment on Lewis Miller a successful NYC Florist who wanted to give back and create soft moments of beauty and joy in his urban environment (NYC). Miller collects older flowers from the Flower District, some are left over from events and his shop. Twice a month he creates Flower Flashes for residents to admire, take pictures of and take home to enjoy. He arranges them in trash cans and brings instant smiles and MINDFUL JOY. This has got me thinking….What can I do to bring instant Mindful JOY? I am still laughing over the Limbo that I did with a dress on in front of 150 people during my vacation and niece’s wedding in the Dominican Republic. Spontaneous fun….a sore knee but fun. What Mindful Joy and pleasure can you bring to yourself and others today? HMMMM pumpkins, apples, falling leaves. Let me know and take a picture! What I would do for a picture of me doing the limbo in a dress. In Loving Fun and Adventure, Fran Nurse Empowerment Coach