Several things resonate with me. The first is the practice of gratitude. I started a gratitude journal over four years ago, in 2018, and it was absolutely one of the best decisions I've ever made. I've opted to do mine in the evenings, and part of my bedtime routine has become seeking, as you say, beauty in the mundane...because our lives are not filled with extraordinary moments, but ordinary ones that we MAKE extraordinary through our perspective. :)
The second is taking a CAREER BREAK!!! I started teaching during the pandemic, and to say I was burnt out by November 2022 was an understatement. So I left, and I'm traveling and writing and resetting for a little while. No longer am I defined by my students, or by test scores, or by anything related to a job. I'm defined, instead, by the moments I look around and acknowledge beautiful; by the amount of love I pour into my work and the people around me; by the laughter and the warmth that I can find if I only look.
Thank you again. I'm looking forward to following your journey!
Oh yes, i love looking back on my gratitude journals 💛💛 they're a living testament to the colors and feelings that shaped my world at the time, a collection of the things I found beautiful, and a reflection of how I've grown!
Oh and I wish you the best of luck in your career break and your wonderful, wonderful writing 😊
I reply to this comment by looking back at an entry on my gratitude journal of some days ago, which, incidentally, is about this same article.
I am grateful with a friend for texting me this: “I just read the article. It’s a beauty itself. You created something that touched someone else’s soul - isn’t that enough?"
I think that as you practice gratitude and a recognition of beauty, it becomes part of your natural response. Not difficult at all, although it takes cultivation and perhaps a reordering of priorities away from this crazed hierarchical material world to something more enduring.
That is a big part of it. Long story short. Six years of cancer treatments left me unable to do the linear things I used to do se easily and so well. Forced me to become more right brained. Between that and over a decade of meditation, and my brain has been rewired. Like the new brain better!
Thanks for sharing your wonderful - despite difficult - experience.
So that we can be all keep our hopes high, in face of hardships.
Writing, and especially on Substack, is a unique opportunity to connect with others and feel less different.
I was not very sure about this article, but responses like this one are a useful reminder of the relevance of continuing my personal path and learn from others'.
For me, meditation is number one. Until you experience a quiet mind, you can't realize how busy your mind is with the automatic thought patterns and behaviors. If you can't recognize those behaviors, how can you change them? Beyond meditation there's so much good reading. The Power of Now is IMO a must read. I also love Joe Dispenza's Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself. Gary Hensel's books offer enormous wisdom. I also love a lot of the Buddhist sayings. And I recommend Erik Weihenmayer's books. They are so full of inspiration and insight. I think most of all, it comes down to the desire and willingness to peel away that which is not working, to allow something new to emerge. It's a life long process. Letting go of beliefs can be scary. If you can find someone qualified to talk to , that can help too. There are no instant fixes. But I think one can find greater authenticity and peace through the quest.
Yes, agreed. And my experience is that the old and new behaviours start to coexist, which can be even more scary. This internal inconsistency is not easy to get used to, and might feel like being pulled apart. A conflict between seemingly irreconcilable self concepts, clashing with each other and dismantling previous world views.
I wish us the best through the quest.
P.s.: if you do not know it, I would recommend "The Surrender Experiment" by Michael Singer. Not a "technical" book like the other ones, but really opened my eyes in relation to the beauty of surrendering to the flow of life.
Thank you for this, Livio! I agree that we try to manufacture purpose (in the U.S., this is especially in our careers) when really life is about simply living and what life gives us day to day: cooking a good meal, tidying our home, interacting with others, moving our bodies,...I could go on and on. When we stop striving, then we find true purpose.
I’m looking forward to trying your practice. I’ve bookmarked your post so I can check in and let you know how it goes!
Write with a pen or pencil. It is an embodied experience that opens up to the depth of beauty and reality of words. Livio, let’s talk. Email me: ed(at)edbrenegar(dot)com.
I'll try that! I normally do pen and paper for flow of consciousness writing. While I prefer to have my "Beauty in everything" note easily accessible on my mobile ;)
Yes. In moments of unbalance, I try to remind myself that all that matters is being centered. So that the rest can "fall in place naturally". Presence, awareness and gratitude practices are key for that.
I love this <3
Several things resonate with me. The first is the practice of gratitude. I started a gratitude journal over four years ago, in 2018, and it was absolutely one of the best decisions I've ever made. I've opted to do mine in the evenings, and part of my bedtime routine has become seeking, as you say, beauty in the mundane...because our lives are not filled with extraordinary moments, but ordinary ones that we MAKE extraordinary through our perspective. :)
The second is taking a CAREER BREAK!!! I started teaching during the pandemic, and to say I was burnt out by November 2022 was an understatement. So I left, and I'm traveling and writing and resetting for a little while. No longer am I defined by my students, or by test scores, or by anything related to a job. I'm defined, instead, by the moments I look around and acknowledge beautiful; by the amount of love I pour into my work and the people around me; by the laughter and the warmth that I can find if I only look.
Thank you again. I'm looking forward to following your journey!
And I thank you for this comment.
Seems like we have quite a few things in common.
I have also started a career break in April 2022.
Despite I cannot say it was just positives, it is definitely a decision I do not regret.
Which, for instance, is leading me to write consistently for the first time ever.
I love this sentence: "our lives are not filled with extraordinary moments, but ordinary ones that we MAKE extraordinary through our perspective".
Do you even look back at your old gratitude journals?
I find it to be an unlimited source of positivity.
Oh yes, i love looking back on my gratitude journals 💛💛 they're a living testament to the colors and feelings that shaped my world at the time, a collection of the things I found beautiful, and a reflection of how I've grown!
Oh and I wish you the best of luck in your career break and your wonderful, wonderful writing 😊
I reply to this comment by looking back at an entry on my gratitude journal of some days ago, which, incidentally, is about this same article.
I am grateful with a friend for texting me this: “I just read the article. It’s a beauty itself. You created something that touched someone else’s soul - isn’t that enough?"
Gratitude and a commitment to simply being present are life changing.
True. So simple, and yet so difficult.
In moments of difficulty, I find very helpful to take past notes and read them.
Helps me to regain momentum and courage. And to smile again.
The fellow writer Tobias has written an interesting piece on the power of gratitude some time ago. You might like it.
https://www.selfmasterysunday.com/p/invest-in-this-stoic-superpower-asap
I think that as you practice gratitude and a recognition of beauty, it becomes part of your natural response. Not difficult at all, although it takes cultivation and perhaps a reordering of priorities away from this crazed hierarchical material world to something more enduring.
True. And time to rewire established neural pathways too.
That is a big part of it. Long story short. Six years of cancer treatments left me unable to do the linear things I used to do se easily and so well. Forced me to become more right brained. Between that and over a decade of meditation, and my brain has been rewired. Like the new brain better!
I am currently struggling a lot with changing some old automatic behaviours, that lead me to frustration, reactiveness and being hard on myself.
Having the patience for the new behaviours to take place is a big personal challenge.
Would you share a thing that has helped you, asides from meditation, to allow the change to happen?
Thanks for sharing your wonderful - despite difficult - experience.
So that we can be all keep our hopes high, in face of hardships.
Writing, and especially on Substack, is a unique opportunity to connect with others and feel less different.
I was not very sure about this article, but responses like this one are a useful reminder of the relevance of continuing my personal path and learn from others'.
I like "the small details that we sometimes take for granted." So true. There is beauty in going small.
Yes. In going small and in going simple! :)
Love Michael Singer!
For me, meditation is number one. Until you experience a quiet mind, you can't realize how busy your mind is with the automatic thought patterns and behaviors. If you can't recognize those behaviors, how can you change them? Beyond meditation there's so much good reading. The Power of Now is IMO a must read. I also love Joe Dispenza's Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself. Gary Hensel's books offer enormous wisdom. I also love a lot of the Buddhist sayings. And I recommend Erik Weihenmayer's books. They are so full of inspiration and insight. I think most of all, it comes down to the desire and willingness to peel away that which is not working, to allow something new to emerge. It's a life long process. Letting go of beliefs can be scary. If you can find someone qualified to talk to , that can help too. There are no instant fixes. But I think one can find greater authenticity and peace through the quest.
Yes, agreed. And my experience is that the old and new behaviours start to coexist, which can be even more scary. This internal inconsistency is not easy to get used to, and might feel like being pulled apart. A conflict between seemingly irreconcilable self concepts, clashing with each other and dismantling previous world views.
I wish us the best through the quest.
P.s.: if you do not know it, I would recommend "The Surrender Experiment" by Michael Singer. Not a "technical" book like the other ones, but really opened my eyes in relation to the beauty of surrendering to the flow of life.
Thank you for this, Livio! I agree that we try to manufacture purpose (in the U.S., this is especially in our careers) when really life is about simply living and what life gives us day to day: cooking a good meal, tidying our home, interacting with others, moving our bodies,...I could go on and on. When we stop striving, then we find true purpose.
I’m looking forward to trying your practice. I’ve bookmarked your post so I can check in and let you know how it goes!
Yes! Looking forward to read one of your beauties :)
This is from a fellow reader: "The perfect balance of sweet and sour in the taste of the oranges we got for Christmas"
And I add yesterday's mine: "The coordination of jazz players at the bar, behaving like one single entity".
Write with a pen or pencil. It is an embodied experience that opens up to the depth of beauty and reality of words. Livio, let’s talk. Email me: ed(at)edbrenegar(dot)com.
I'll try that! I normally do pen and paper for flow of consciousness writing. While I prefer to have my "Beauty in everything" note easily accessible on my mobile ;)
I'll get in touch.
Great!
This. This is it
So simple. Yet so difficult. Yet so simple ;)
Fab work Livio
Thanks, David!
My readers and me are sharing the beauties we come across in this thread on Notes!
Why don't you add your beauty of today?
It's a nice activity for the soul :)
https://substack.com/profile/6147133-livio-marcheschi/note/c-14824836
Good idea! I will try it out!
Self awareness is the first step to a beautiful life. Be aware, be conscious and the rest will fall in place naturally. A great piece of writing.
Yes. In moments of unbalance, I try to remind myself that all that matters is being centered. So that the rest can "fall in place naturally". Presence, awareness and gratitude practices are key for that.