Little Things Can Bring BIG Love

My friend has a very productive Meyer Lemon tree and every year I - and a bunch of other friends because it’s that productive! - get the gift of a big, big bowl full of the most gorgeous, juicy, fragrant lemons.

I’ve been going through the bowl for weeks and just not getting to the end of the heap of lemons because there are so many and each one has soooooooo much juice and plump fruit that I never need more than one. No matter what I’m cooking! Most times I only need half! So in an attempt to savor every drop of deliciousness and not let any lemons go to waste, I finally took a little time to squeeze those pretties and freeze the juice. 

Yes, into star and pumpkin shaped cube molds. 😂🤩 They’re the right size for the amount I want (about 2 teaspoons per cube).

I love cooking. I love gourmet food. I love sharing foods I’ve created with friends and family. I love cute little things. I love pauses.

This is a moment of pausing and noticing a whole bunch of things I love rolled up into….juice cubes.

A moment to savor.

A moment to recognize the little sweet (and sour) things of life.

A moment to remember there’s more good than bad, more love than hate, more kindness and positive than negative. 

Which is hard to see if we’re not looking the right direction. 

Making these juice cubes could have just been a quick kitchen task that went unnoticed. It was quick, but trying to live a mindful life means, hopefully, not too much goes unnoticed.

In each one of these little 2tsp cubes is delicious possibility. Possibility for connection and even celebration with loved ones as we enjoy something tasty together. Possibility for creativity as I conjure up smoothies, muffins, breads, mocktails, risottos and….whatever else I haven’t thought of yet. Possibility for me to love on myself and others through food and nutrition.  Possibility to grow that passion for food, nutrition, and leading a naturally healthy lifestyle.

These juice cubes are tangible little things. I’ve worked hard for many, many years to be a “high noticer” of little things. Lately, though, I’ve gone deeper into the appreciation of the little things of life that offer big love. These things are life!

There are plenty of little tangible things that can bring us great joy and make our hearts swell with love if we keep our eyes open to see them: Snowflakes, raindrops, leaves drifting on the wind. Dandelion fluff floating on the air reminding us to bloom wherever we’re planted. Quick snuggles from loved ones (pets count!) filling our heart with love. Warm drinks and lovely ceramic mugs. Fruit blossoming and veggies sprouting reminding us to renew and give thanks for such a beautiful, bountiful planet.

This list could go on and on!

Add on to it by looking around to see tiny reminders of love and joy, gratitude and plenty. They’re everywhere.

There are all kinds of little things that have the power to bring you joy and shift your mindset to a positive, loving, hopeful one.

But I think sometimes we get so caught up in the stuff of daily life that what’s bright in front of us becomes lackluster because it goes unnoticed. Or, sometimes there’s so much negative bouncing around from platform to platform, filling our eyes, ears and minds, that we can’t imagine how much good is actually out there.

It’s helpful to have practices in place that keep our minds looking and our hearts feeling in the direction of goodness, happiness, joy, and love.

Practices like…
A daily gratitude or joy journal. This doesn’t have to be intricate or longwinded, simply jot down a few things list-style.

A weekly quiet nature walk where you intentionally listen and look for little joys.

A regular routine of meditation and exercise that keeps you a little high on endorphins because then you’re more likely to spot the positive than hang on to the negative.

There’s a lot of really bad stuff happening in the world right now and that can cloud your ability to see the joys and feel all the love that’s truly available to you. It can even make you feel guilty when you do! But that’s the negative winning. The inner critic taking over. The bad gaining strength inside you when you are oh, so good of nature and always deserving of joy and love!

Why not start consciously shifting your mindset right now?!

How do you want to get going? I invite you to take a pause and choose one way you’ll enjoy awakening to all the love in your life this year. Maybe brew a cup of delicious tea or coffee, take some mindful breaths and enjoy the scents, sounds and sights around you. Then allow your heart to speak to you and let you know which way you want to get there.

And, if you want a little guidance from me, I’m sharing reminders every day in February that can help.

With Leap Into Love, a 29-day journaling experience you’ll grow your love of life, enhance your loving world view and brighten your days by shifting your focus to the many aspects of love.

This is a simple method of quick journaling that can be added in on top of any other daily journaling you do, or it’s a great way to start journaling, because I’m giving you prompts to follow. No conjuring or getting lost on the page. No overthinking or over-writing. Just gentle reminders that can have a profound impact on your mindset bringing you more happiness through the awareness of all the love that’s already present in your life.

I’m excited about this journey and I’m really looking forward to going on it with you!

With every moment of focusing our minds on love, gratitude or joy, we are truly enriching the good, positive energies of the world and making the world a brighter place.

I hope you’ll join me for Leap Into Love!