Hello and Welcome, I’m Shauna Hoffman.
Change it up! Sometimes in our lives, we just need to switch things up to bring back our excitement, enthusiasm, our creativity again. Even our love lives! Yesterday I found myself kind of uninspired.. doing all the usual things with not so much excitement to them. And it became really clear that I needed to switch things up a bit to jumpstart my day. So today, rather than our usual walk to the park with the dogs…same old park, same old walk, we went someplace totally different. A new park! New paths, new trees, new sounds and it was truly a breath of fresh air. We were smiling and laughing. Noticing so many different things around us. It was so much fun. And I realized that we all need to do this more often. In so many ways!
For example. When my husband was importing art from the Caribbean. He would always talk to his collectors about moving the paintings on the wall around once a year. He made the point that sometimes the art on our walls becomes part of the background, they almost become like the furniture. Your artwork starts to blend into the walls. You don’t see them anymore. But when you switch out a piece of art on your walls, or in your space all of a sudden your eyes see it again. Your room looks different And your brain actually sparks in a new way. The moment that you are in… changes. Your appreciation of your space changes. You see things differently!
Listen to this…
According to The Telegraph, looking at a beautiful painting, sculpture, or another piece of art increases blood flow to the brain by as much as 10% — the equivalent of looking at someone you love.
What an easy way to get a jump start to your heart and brain! Move around your art!
I think that what happened this morning when we walked to a different park was it gave us an opportunity to see so much beauty we hadn’t seen before. It made us smile. Made us laugh more!
There is a Wayne Dwyer quote that you may have heard. I always thought about it in terms of the way we think about things. Our perception of a situation. But now when I think about the artwork in my home it even makes sense there!
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change!”.
“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change!”.
There are so many times I ask a couple what have they done out of the ordinary lately? Any new and fun activity together? A bike ride? A hike? When have they gone anyplace different? Or if you are quarantining, what can you switch up at home? Move furniture around. Make something for dinner you have never had and wanted to try? We are so past the days of Friday is fish night! Can you put down the remote or phone and play a new game together? My brother sent our whole family this game called Finders keepers. A total brain mystery game. And it gave us this great weekend adventure in our living room. Again, we changed up our routine and had so much fun.
I have couples come in to see me that say, “we have so much fun on vacations. Our marriage gets a reboot. But we can’t keep the feelings when we get home”. So the homework I give them is to change it up! Have breakfast for dinner. Go out for a walk after dinner instead of watching TV. Put on MUSIC while you are cooking! Hello, last week’s Beatle’s Music Therapy episode! Music!! Music changes the entire energy in a room, in your evening! Maybe your morning? Maybe instead of watching the morning news, you start your day with music?
Anything to change the chemistry in your brain and body. Anything to change it up! I have even started to listen to different music while I do my yoga. I had a playlist that has stayed the same for years. I thought it brought me peace. But once I changed it up I found myself feeling totally different during my practice. I was more engaged instead of going through the poses as I usually do.
We all get into routines. They make us feel safe. They may keep us on track and healthy. We get up, do our yoga or workout, shower, have our coffee, start to work.
Or maybe you haven’t found a routine that makes you feel safe and keeps you healthy. Yet, your routine is just that. You get up, start working, and don’t have a moment of spontaneity to excite you.
Change it up. The weird thing is that the tiniest change in your daily life or your environment is enough to make you feel totally different. Remember that 10% blood flow? That it’s like looking at someone you love?
Take a moment to think about one thing that you are willing to try and change today to see how it may affect you. One thing. A painting in the house. A plant that you want to put in a new place. A new kind of music you want to try? Jazz versus soul, or classical versus rock? Do you always wear the same colors? It’s funny. I never wore pink. Then one day I pulled out the only pink top I own and put it on. My husband noticed it right away! HAHA Seeing me in a new color gave his brain a new way to see me. Though I choose not to think I was becoming like the furniture or blending into the walls.
Maybe it is much bigger than that. Is there a relationship that you want to change up? Are you the one who always calls your friend so they never have a chance to call you first? And how special will it be when you give them the space to do that? Do you think you are bored in a relationship because you haven’t tried to give it some kind of new life? Whether trying something tiny or big, see what is different if you CHANGE IT UP a bit!
I guess what I want you to think about is that there is a difference between keeping things comfortable versus static. A static home, static routine, static relationship will eventually suck the energy out of you. We are growing, changing evolving humans! We have an opportunity in life to embrace all the unknown around us to help us on our journey to self-awareness.
So think about it today. Think about what you can “change-up” to inspire you, bring you joy, and jumpstart a part of your life again!
Imagine if one tiny change could change your world!
I am so glad you joined me on this podcast today. Now go out there and change it up! Change up everything and anything you can to bring you happiness. Remember to be so kind to yourself! Honor your heart. Honor your creativity. Expand your soul!
Thank you for letting me into your life this week! And I look forward to popping back in again…next week.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE CONTENT DISCUSSED…
• A Journey to Awareness Podcast: All Episodes
• Shauna’s website: https://www.workingonme.com
WHEN DOES IT AIR…
March 06, 2021