PEBBLE
We can experience the difficulties of life and still embrace joy. I may not always find happiness in a given moment, but I can always find joy.
~Marcia Chrupka, written and shared by Marcia in Ohio (in email response to Ripples #1269)
BOULDER
Joy is not always a feeling that is freely bestowed upon us, often it is something we must actively seek. In a way, joy is a decision, an action, even a practiced method of being. My question is, where or how do you find your joy?
~Nick Cave, via Nick’s Red Hand File #299
PONDER
Several months ago I started seeing memes and quotes on social media that described the term “Glimmers” as “micro moments in your day that elicit feelings of joy, happiness, peace or gratitude.” It took me a little digging to confirm that this was an actual thing, a term coined by researcher and social worker Deb Dana.
If a “trigger” is something that causes a sudden burst of negative emotions by reminding us of a past traumatic experience, she wants us to think of a “glimmer” as something of it’s opposite: a mind/body response that causes a sudden burst of positive emotion as a result of feeling safe and connected to others.
It’s important to note that this isn’t about forcing a smile onto your face and pretending that life is all happy stuff and without any hard stuff. Not. That. At. All. Instead, this is about the innate capacity our bodies and brains have to recognize and respond to the delightful yum that exists alongside the inevitable yuck that is all part of a full life.
The more I learn about and ponder this idea, the more curious I am to unpack it a little more. Are you curious, too? I’ve been assembling some thoughts and ideas to process and share with the Team Ripples Patreon Community, and we’d like to invite interested Ripplers to join us for this session:
Glimmers of Hope, Sparks of Joy:
How Tiny Moments Can Transform Your Day (and Your Life)
with Paul Wesselmann, The Ripples Guy
No matter how GOOD or how HARD your life has been lately, it turns out there are simple, proven techniques for cultivating feelings of joy, happiness, peace and gratitude I’m excited to unpack some of the research and share a handful of easy, practical steps you can take to make your good days a a little more yummy, and your hard days a little less yucky.
There is no cost at all for Ripplers and their guests to join us for this Zoomy Zoom, but there is a limited number of spaces available. Please register for the date you like to attend:
Tue, Oct 15 @7pm eastern (6c, 5m, 4p)
Thu, Oct 17 @3pm eastern (2c, 1m, 12p)
Peace,
Paul
P.S. If you can’t attend either of these sessions, they will be recorded and I’ll plan to share links to the video and audio replays in a future issue of Ripples.
