Signs of Spring

The Street Sweeper

The street sweeper machine is a welcome sign of spring. Two days ago, the traffic slowed to a crawl, but before I could form my internal complaint, I caught a glimpse of the street sweeper up ahead, which turned the entire experience around. I had no problem driving at a snail’s pace because my mind had already turned to my bike. YES! It’s time to drop my bike off for a spring tune-up before they get busy. Perspective! It is easier to change our minds when we see things from a different angle.

Hard Times

Some of you may recall that I subscribe to NPR’s Lifekit, where I often find practical information on everything from finances to creativity to caregiving to well-being—almost anything that we deal with in everyday life. I like “Life Kit” because it introduces me to human-friendly researchers (I’m not entirely sure what I mean by this) and offers glimmers of hope and contentment without trying to pretend things are all okay.

I agree with not all but much of what is offered, so my bias is on full display. One of the recent emails I received this month from NPR resonated, and I was eager to share it with you.

Over the last 20 years, Judith Moskowitz, a research psychologist at Northwestern’s Feinberg School of Medicine, has been researching a set of eight skills and practices to help people increase positive emotions and decrease anxiety, even amid hard times…“People can be taught to have positive emotions, even when things seem pretty bleak,” says Moskowitz. (I prefer to say we can do things to influence our emotions but not change them the way we can turn a light switch on and off) “She has documented this in her studies of people going through tough situations, such as caring for a spouse with dementia or living with Stage 4 breast cancer and other health problems.” (from NPR)

REMINDERS

I found Dr. Moskowitz’s eight points match my own experience and teaching, and I appreciate their ordinariness. The truth is, everything I scribble about here is nothing new or earth-shattering; it’s just simple reminders of things that we already know but often forget. I hope you enjoy her research.

Positive Events – “We tend to fixate on the negative. So, try this: Switch your focus to something good today. It could be a beautiful sky, a delicious bite of fresh fruit, or a call from a friend…This is a simple concept, but it goes against our natural instincts. Humans evolved to pay attention to threats and problems.” “That’s adaptive,” Moskowitz says. “But don’t miss out on the good.”

Savouring – “Now that you’ve noticed a beautiful sky or delicious scent, take time to savor it. The goal here is to make the moment last. Say you’ve got great photos from a vacation or celebration, each time you look at them, you can re-experience positive feelings… You can savor a moment by simply remembering it, or you can write it down or tell someone else about it. This can amplify the positive feelings and give you an emotional buffer when stress and anxiety rise.”

Gratitude – This one can feel like a platitude. I get it! (so do I) But before you brush it aside, there’s a lot of research on the benefits. For instance, a recent study (Harvard) among women points to a potential longevity boost from feelings of gratefulness. So, you can ask yourself this: If I had a list of all the things I’m grateful for, would it be long? Think of all the people, events and experiences that bring you joy. At first you may only think of a few obvious ones, but with practice your list can grow longer, as you notice more small things that enrich your life, Moskowitz says. (this list gets longer and longer with practice)

Mindfulness – To feel calmer, tune in to your experience in the present moment, instead of getting caught up in your thoughts. But you won’t see the benefit unless you actually take the time to practice it. One way is to focus on your breath. It’s a shortcut to get rid of the clutter in your mind. To try it, find a quiet spot and take some slow breaths. As you inhale, let your belly expand. Make your exhales slow, about twice as long. Notice the way your breath feels in your belly as it rises and falls. (I found my recent 30 day challenge that included two minutes of mindful breathing plus ten minutes of a creative activity was an excellent mindfulness practice)

Positive Re-appraisal – When something unfortunate or unexpected happens, can you find a silver lining? It’s a familiar concept, but Moskowitz says it can pay off. One refrain she uses in her own life when something bad happens is “It could have been much worse.” (we have all had these experiences and we know it helps)

Self-Compassion (I prefer friendliness) – Many of us “hold ourselves to a very high standard that we would never expect of anyone else,” Moskowitz says. So, now’s the time to take the compassion (or friendliness, which I prefer) you’d show to a friend and turn it on yourself. There are easy ways to try this. Take the time to do things that make you feel good, for example, or take a lunch break when you’re hungry instead of putting it off. (obviously there is nothing wrong with self-compassion and it is a beautiful term and concept. I, however, better understand the word friendliness, for myself. Remember that we make things work for each of us. Life is not a formula – we are improvisors.)

Personal Strengths – In the midst of challenges and struggles, we can forget what we’re good at…Are you a good listener? Empathetic? Are you great at managing details? Knowing your strengths helps you stand strong amid challenges.

Attainable Goals – If you know your strengths, it may make it easier to set goals that align with them. “The research on goal attainment shows that any progress toward a goal increases your positive emotion,” Moskowitz says. So, it’s worth pulling out a notebook and writing down some goals. “I find it extremely rewarding to cross something off my list,” says Moskowitz.

Here is the link to the entire segment for those interested in her research. As a skeptic herself about small things helping, she is now convinced, based on her research, that these practices make a difference.

NOTES and a change of pace

1:) The snowdrops and the duck are signs of spring, although they are in Vancouver. My son keeps sending me these ducks, and I love them.

2:) Some cheer for you – Joshua Radin  sings A Beautiful Day

3:) Penguin Retirement Home

4:) Land Art Installations Lots to look at here -Wales-based Jon Foreman makes incredible land art using just stones, leaves, and other natural finds from his local beaches and forests.

5:) May you all find resilience, strength, and beauty as we enter the hopeful season again. I am sending all my best wishes for whatever you need, and may you find and create many moments of joy. Never forget the dance. You know that African proverb: “When the music changes, so must the dance.” What this means to me is that no matter what, we always have music, and we always have the dance. See you next week. As always, Trudy