Isn’t this great? I was in a meeting yesterday and this was the phrase that was used. HANG OUT IN THE GLIMMER. In other words, spend a bit of time soaking up the good on this earth. Even consider spending some time really recognizing your achievements.
It’s closing in on the end of November, and one thing I know for sure is that most of us fall into what Brene Brown calls “forboding joy.” This means that we don’t let the JOY IN. “If you ask me what’s the most terrifying, difficult emotion we feel as humans,” she says, “I would say joy.”
Her work in this area has been groundbreaking. It points to a challenging conversation about vulnerability and really the spirit of the American culture in many ways, in my opinion. Depending on what generation you were born into, we generally are strivers and, from our initial experience with school, are graded and groomed to achieve. And while she acknowledges that calling joy “terrifying” may seem strange, the reality is that the fear is about the idea that the joy may be taken away. We often refer to that as, “When is the other shoe going to drop?” In her terms, “What we do in moments of joyfulness is, we try to beat vulnerability to the punch.” That is so true and so good!
Here’s the thing on this Sunday: This week is literally designated to turn our attention to a spirit of depth that brings us into the holiday season. I would say there is no better exercise that we could all do than to turn inward and identify (yep, make a list) all that is good, all that has sparked your happiness this year, ALL that you and those you love have achieved, big or small. After all, it is in the small steps that we achieve big things. Every last bit of progress toward being physically, mentally, emotionally, financially or spiritually healthy… count it ALL AS GOOD AND JOYFUL.
When you create that list, hang out in the glimmer of all that is good. Do your best to release anything that doesn’t allow you to rest there. I feel like this message my new friend gave me is profound. If we can imagine ourselves surrounded by a gentle confetti storm of good raining down on us, I think we might be one step closer to how heaven must feel.
Cheers to a truly beautiful week ahead. May you glimmer like crazy!