Stuck on Snowflakes

Snowflakes

Here I am, stuck in traffic on my way to work. It’s not the usual traffic because there’s major bridge construction on my regular route, and the detours add 20-30 minutes to my already 50-minute-long commute. Sigh.

But today is different. There’s a light snow falling. The way each fluffy white flake lands on the windshield before melting into nothingness is almost hypnotizing, and it brings me back to the present. It was then I realized I could start my day being upset about my longer drive, or I could enjoy the moment, and feel the beauty and simplicity, as well as the juxtaposition of complexity that I would have this slow snowfall to gently ease me into my workday. By the time I get to work, I’m ready for whatever the day holds for me with curiosity rather than walking in already stressed and dreading the day, if I had used my drive to ruminate about all the possible scenarios of how the day might unfold. 

For those aspects in your day that cause tension and propel you into that “hurry up and get there” feeling… try to look for the snowflakes. Whatever the “snowflakes” are for you, that concept can be applied in the same way to these moments of your day, and help bring you back to the present. Meanwhile, take time to really look at the changing landscape of the seasons, listen to your favorite music, read that book you’ve been waiting to dive into, or spend time doing what lifts you up.  

It’s really about the power of mindful moments, and how we actually do have the ability to choose how we let them make us feel. Each time we turn a negative to a positive in the present, we’re re-training our brain to look for the positive. In today’s hectic world, that’s an amazingly transformative quality to foster.