There is this thing that happens. It's a look that appears on your face when you are doing something that brings you joy. For one of my best friends, it's salsa dancing. A few weeks ago she had a bad day and she called me. She was feeling small, like when you want to curl up in a ball under the covers. Instead of going home and heading to bed right after work she went to salsa dancing class. It's here that she feels like she is in her element. A light is lit within her.
I love seeing this look on someone's face when the light inside them is turned on. You see it on someone who (finally!) learns how to master a new skill. It's that a-ha! smile. I've been thinking a lot about this. We're all so busy from the moment the alarm goes off. Shower, dress, breakfast (maybe, if there's time), commute. work, lunch (maybe, if there's time), work, commute, dinner, TV, bed. Repeat. Weekends are for errands and maybe dinner out on Friday and/or Saturday night. When do we fit in that time for a hobby? When was the last time you counted down the days until you got to do something that made you feel accomplished or happy?
What's fascinating is something called Neuroplasticity, which means your brain physically changes as you learn and master a new skill. If you enjoy travel, visit a new place. Wander and find your way back. You'll be building new neural pathways. Spend time with your favorite people and dopamine floods your system. Master horseback riding. Bowl every week until you tell yourself you just have to buy your own ball. Join a community acting or choral group. Do what makes your heart race when you think about it. Your cheeks will flush. Joy will flood out of you like sunshine on a July morning.
Life is about those sparks of light that make you smile like a three year-old with an ice cream cone. What is that makes you feel this way? Make it your goal this week to do just one thing that makes you radiate. You look so good when you smile, buttercup.
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