THE  GIFTS OF NOTICING DAILY HIGHLIGHTS  

Photo by Joyce M. Young

“The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnified world in itself.” —Henry Miller

LOOKING AT THE GROUND TO SEE THE SKY    

One of my favorite adventures in the North Carolina Museum of Art’s 164-acre art park is to lead unsuspecting friends along a sloping, root-filled path in the woods to a plain-looking hut that also functions as a life-sized pinhole camera. A small door—like one a fairy tale dwarf might use—serves as the entrance to the Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky, and as we stoop through it, we are plunged into total darkness. Temporarily blinded, we fumble along the walls with our hands to a bench where we sit in the dark. Minutes pass. Once our eyes adjust, we begin to see the outlines of trees and clouds on the hut’s floor and then on the walls. The chamber literally turns our perspective upside down enabling us to notice beautiful features of treetops, clouds, and the sky that we ordinarily would not perceive. My friends are always surprised and delighted by the revelation. Chris Drury, the chamber’s artist, has rewarded our low-key walk in the woods with a small peak experience.

Upon reflection, we realize that small peak experiences also occur in other low-key areas of our lives. When we train ourselves to notice these everyday highlights, they continuously reward us with surprise and delight.

DAILY LIFE’S BOUNTIFUL HIGHLIGHTS

Life’s highlights can be obvious or subtle. Holidays, weddings, anniversaries, and graduations are familiar peak experiences that we cherish and remember. Yet many subtle daily highlights escape our notice and memory, such as the sudden appearance of a perfect parking spot.

Perhaps the most hidden but most meaningful moments are those that we don’t recognize as positive until we shift our perspective and view them from a different angle. Examples include successfully removing a stain from a cherished garment we thought was ruined; connecting with the exact person needed to locate a desired item; and enjoying the clever antics of a toddler or teen. Once we begin to take notice, we see these and other highlights often, and our days are continuously enriched with episodes of delight and pleasure. Soon our noticing powers advance, and we spot highlights hidden in an alleged negative experience like contending with an obstacle that ultimately prevents us from making an unhelpful choice or making a driving mistake, getting delayed, and subsequently connecting with a much-needed resource.

THE GIFTS OF NOTICING DAILY HIGHLIGHTS

What I enjoy most about taking unsuspecting friends to the Cloud Chamber is seeing their surprise, awe, and delight when they experience the chamber’s magic. Anticipation raised by the forest walk, passage through a small door, and temporary blindness is more than satisfied when the sky and trees finally come into view. While the highlights of our daily lives may not be as dramatic, we are still inspired, nurtured, and uplifted every time we notice and engage with them—although it is useful to remember that highlights occur whether we notice them or not.  

Beyond enjoying their inherent pleasures, connecting with daily highlights confers a host of health-building benefits, including enhanced well-being, positivity, and focus. Noticing everyday highlights elevates our perception and ultimately our perspective, helping us to recognize that attaining states of high well-being is a realistic possibility—one that also enhances our ability to pursue the things that matter most to us.

CAPTURING MORE POSITIVITY, WELL-BEING, AND HEALTH

A primary goal of High Health Network is to provide as many ways as possible for members to capture and enjoy more positivity, well-being, and health in their lives. The skills needed for consistently discovering highlights in our daily lives can easily be found in the Network’s online community. If you or your company want advanced methods for enhancing well-being, growing health, and enriching lives, contact us to find out more.

Joyce M. Young, MD, MPH
Managing Director, Advanced Wellness Systems
Lead Expert for the High Health Network

Photo by Pexels

“Like any work of art, life needs to be thought about.” —Albert Camus  

Sincerely,

Your colleagues at Advanced Wellness Systems