“Ten thousand flowers in spring, the moon in autumn, a cool breeze in summer, snow in winter. If your mind isn’t clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life." WU MEN
When my three teens were toddlers, I remember the times I would set-aside my to-do list and ignore –at least for a bit – the mess in my house, get on the floor to be in their world and I felt joy and pleasure in ways that I often didn’t. It was delicious and I wanted it to last forever.
Of course it didn’t last forever. Those playful toddlers would get hungry or have a tantrum. I’d give into the tug of my to-do list or that sink full of dishes. I’d come back to ‘reality’ and get on with my day.
When I’d fall into bed after finally getting all three of those little ones to sleep, those short-lived moments were the ones that I came back to as I thought about my day. They were my vehicle for feeling what I wanted to feel more of: love, pleasure, joy, peace. I wanted more of those moments.
For a long time, I would tell myself I couldn’t feel that much joy or pleasure in my regular day as much as I wanted to because how could I? So much needed to be done to just keep up with our life. Surely life would unravel if I allowed myself to be so present and joy-filled. Either I had to check things off my never ending to-do list OR I could be really present and joyful and love-filled.
It didn’t happen overnight, but somewhere along the way, I realized that my life didn’t have to be either-or. I decided I could shift to being an and-also kind of woman. I could do the things in my life that I didn’t love but needed to be done AND ALSO I could have more of those moments of feeling joyful and present. I just needed to set the intention and be open to the how.
Enter The Collection of Every Day Love.
My friend and co-founder of The Nourish to Flourish Society shared this concept with me and now we teach it to all the women in our virtual programs and it’s transformational if you allow it to be.
The Collection of Every Day Love is the kind of nourishment that no food can ever replace. The kind of practice that really has you present and grateful for the simple things that are ALREADY in your life. The little things like:
The smile on your child's face or the way your partner looks in the morning; the quiet space to breathe and meditate; the smell of crisp leaves on the ground and the warmth of the sunshine; the clarity of the blue sky and the mystery of the stormy one; the sound and feel of the wind whispering; the cool fall rain on your skin; the colorful vegetables on your cutting board; the candle light on your table; the way your body feels when you move it in a way you love; the artwork on your wall; the beat of the music playing; the wave from a neighbor...
Each of these everyday things is the connection to life all around us if we allow it to be. The Collection of Everyday Love includes all of the things and experiences that are already there that we may just need to be more present to. The things and experiences, that no matter where we are, have the potential to bring us joy, bliss, laughter, peace and love. Even the messy ones.
And, what I’ve learned is that I can manifest more and more of this Collection of Every Day Love; wrapping myself up in the goodness every day. The more I’m present in my life, the more I notice all the juiciness and the more I feel alive.
We can intentionally create more Every Day Love in our lives by noticing, celebrating and praising the every day things and people that bring us joy. We can choose to have fresh flowers on our tables or beautiful beeswax candles lit when we’re prepping food. We can choose to notice how beautiful someone’s eyes are when they are talking to us. We can buy a new scarf or piece of jewelry that we love to look at.
One of the ways that I create more of a Collection of Every Day Love in my life is by taking an extra minute to put my food on a beautiful plate and fill a nice wine glass with kombucha or lemon water. It’s a little thing that may seem like a hassle, but each time I do this (and I don’t do it perfectly BTW), it brings me more into the present and helps me surround myself with simple things that bring me joy.
Stepping outside can be a wonderful way practice the Collection of Everyday Love. Taking a soul-stroll, sitting in your backyard with your face to the sun, taking a walk in the woods or with a loved one, enjoying a picnic, listening to the sounds of fall…
This is my invitation to you. Slow down. Notice the Collection of Every Day Love in your life. Intentionally cultivate more of it by using some of the ideas here. I promise if you do, when you put your head on your pillow at night and think about your day, these are the moments that will bring you more joy and peace in the midst of your beautiful messy life.
Angelle is passionate about helping women learn how to nourish themselves body, mind + spirit. She is a life coach for women with an expertise in health. The Collection of Every Day love is a concept she teaches in their 14-Day Reset. It has the power to transform how you experience your very full life every day.
You can connect with her at www.nourishtoflourishsociety.com