Stop and pick a flower
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I love kids!..........Good job because I have 3 of my own!
I love kids because they still have that innocence, uncluttered by social etiquette and pressure - free to be whoever they want to be……and usually say whatever they want to say!
We can learn a lot from them...…….I learned a valuable lesson from my 4 year old daughter (soon to be 5!) last week as we were walking through a typically busy North London high street as a family - Mum, Dad, 3 kids. We were in usual family mode, short on time and rushing ever so slightly!
I felt my youngest daughter’s hand leave mine, while my older one continued to drag me down the street. Looking back to check where my 4 year old had gone (and attempting to maintain my parental responsibility) I noticed she had stopped to bend down at the roadside, and found a lone yellow flower standing defiantly……which she proceeded to pluck out of the ground!
Now, I am not advocating widespread pilfering of our communal flowers that do so much to brighten up our city streets, but noticing the beauty around us, even in the familiarity of our daily surroundings, is such a wonderful, empowering trait. She ran up to me with this flower as if she had discovered the most incredible thing in the world, “Daddy, look at the beautiful flower I found…..it’s for you”.
My natural instinct to reprimand her for separating from the pack was instantly softened by the joy on her face at the discovery of this simple little weed. Irrespective of the hustle and bustle around her (especially her family), never mind the cars rumbling past and the presence of concrete instead of greenery, she noticed and appreciated, the beauty of a flower blooming in spring. This little girl literally skips through life with a spring in her step, singing to herself.......and that buoyant effervescence is contagious.
In NLP we pay great attention to focusing on positive aspects of our lives rather than the common tendency to focus on negatives. We could all learn a lesson from my 4 year old and appreciate the simple pleasures that are all around us and bring a smile to our faces. At this time of year it may be the flowers appearing in spring bloom, it may be the morning birdsong, perhaps that first slightly warmer day when the sun is shining and you don’t need a scarf……maybe it’s your family and friends that you take for granted will always be there. Whatever it is, there is always something available to us that can lift our spirits, ease our stress and make our lives that little bit more pleasurable, so why not enjoy those things?!
So, as spring appears to have sprung, and we edge closer to the clocks moving forward and the longer brighter days of summer being upon us, why not take a rest from complaining about the traffic, the weather, or your kids’ tantrums and take the opportunity to look around you and appreciate the good stuff you normally miss. You may be surprised how good you feel......and how good you may make others feel!
…...…better still, take a leaf out of Lola’s book, stop your routine and pick a flower!
p.s. Happy Birthday Lola x