If you may recall from my can-it-just-be-spring-already? goals list, one of the things I committed to do was to keep track of moments of joy in every day. My friend Stephanie commented on that post and left a link to an article about a Google engineer who has taught people to use the tools of mindfulness to find "thin slices of joy" in their days. I thought that was helpful language, and even the image of that (i.e., those "thin slices") gives me joy.
After publishing that post, I had the idea to use the monthly view on my (paper) calendar to keep track of the moment (or moments) of joy in each square. There was something satisfying about using a calendar as a to-done list more than a to-do, and incidentally it makes it easy to report here on my blog what my thin slices of joy were for the remainder of April since writing that post.
19 | the sweetest puppies ever befriended me, Theo, and Emilyn at the park
20 | good and open conversation; going antiquing downtown (we had randomly decided to go that day, and discovered when we got there that they were suppose to close by the time we arrived, but there happened to be a special event that day that meant they were open later than usual!)
 |
| The universe sent me a message at the antique store. |
22 | a neighbor walking across the street to introduce herself when I was out on a walk because she's seen me walking for years
 |
| Also from April 22: the color of Thai banana contrasted against chia seed pudding. (Should I just title this post thin slices of yellow/sunshine/happiness?) |
24 | sunshine (again!); getting to bring dinner over to a neighbor's and eat together
25 | the coconut popsicles from my postscript were really delicious
26 | thrifting and finding awesome books I actually wanted; great dinner/conversation with a friend; listening to a very good podcast
27 | sunshine (yet again!)
28 | playing outside with the kids with my new Bluetooth speakers (why didn't I get these earlier?!) projecting Renee & Jeremy (but alas, also the day I felt dumb trying to figure out Stories on Instagram, thank you slai for trying to make me feel better); providing a recipe and all the ingredients for my sis-in-law to make dinner at her home, which her family ended up loving*
(*If you haven't made sheet pan chicken yet, you are really missing out. Seriously, unless you're a vegetarian or you're allergic to delicious food, you should not be living one more day without this in your life. Sorry to be so bossy. I really need to stop over-selling it and risk you being disappointed. Like, maybe I should change the title of the post to "It's just rice and chicken, nbd.")
29 | conversation with a friend
30 | surprising a friend with a chai at church without even knowing she had forgotten to make her tea that morning (!); going to the Indian buffet by myself (Butter Chicken for President!)
The weird (but perhaps not really that weird) thing is that after I decided to do this whole thin slices of joy thing, my days actually did get better. Even the weather got (incrementally) better. Yes, three sunny days out of 12 is not that great, but I noticed - and savored - those brighter days.
The real trick will be whether this will work in the dead of winter... so friends, if I feel crummy in the winter of 2017/2018, please ask me if I'm doing this still, and remind me to go visit my in-laws to get a break. (I can just go back to the mountain top, right, Marla?)
Anyway, I'm definitely keeping up in May and I invite you to join along!
And now here's this week's menu:
 |
| Chicken curry. Do it. |
P.S. Let it be known that when I left my computer and came back, David had changed my notes to: thin slices of
P.P.S. My friend Kayla texted me this article about self-care vs. "resourcing" and of course I loved it because the author talks about the function and efficacy of word choice, and while neither Kayla nor I personally resonated with her specific choice of "resourcing," I did enjoy the resourcefulness of her choosing a word that helped her focus on self-care more easily. (This is all in reference to my preferring to think about what I'm "thankful" for vs. what I'm "grateful" for.)
Seriously, that chai really made my day.
ReplyDelete🤗🤗🤗
DeleteLove these slices. Also, love that self-care vs. resourcing article!! I have heard that word used in a very different context (a specific type of trauma therapy) but think it's wise to expand the notion self-care from the bubble baths and manicures variety into ALLLLLL of the things we need to do (slash not do) for ourselves to keep us balanced and grounded. Yay for all!!
ReplyDeleteglad you liked the article; i've read other stuff on her blog and appreciate her perspective and honesty. ooh i'd be interested in hearing about resources as it pertains to trauma therapy.
Deletei like how you included "not do" as part of self-care. sometimes we assume there's a bunch of stuff that must be done, and maybe it doesn't all have to be done, or done by us. thanks for your comment!
Stephanie, would you explain stories to me as well? I can't handle social media changes. Does anyone else feel hesitant to troubleshoot these things on their own for fear of posting something unintentionally? That in and of itself says something about my social media use I guess: social media is only a slice (to jump on that theme) of real life.
ReplyDelete