Surprise!

As a coach, it's always gratifying to hear a client enumerate all the things he or she has accomplished. But last month, when one of my clients told me, “I've become accustomed to being surprised,” well, it just made me thrilled and proud. 

Surprises, yes, can be as unwelcome as waking up to three inches of snow in the middle of May or some other hurtful onslaught. But most often, a surprise is an unexpected feeling of wonder and astonishment that has been triggered by something we have come upon suddenly. Sometimes it can be startling, but generally we think of surprise as something good. There may be disbelief, but surprises are usually enveloped in amazement. And what a great way to be, expecting and becoming accustomed to being surprised. Surprises make our life so much more special.

For me, May is the month of surprises. It's morel mushroom season and so I spend even more time in the woods around my home. Any other month of the year, you can find me walking the dogs for an hour or two each day. During May, I clear the calendar a couple of days each week and take to the woods from sunup to sundown. So while racking up all that time and all those miles in the woods, I have plenty of opportunity to be surprised by wildlife, both flora and fauna, rarely seen. And I'm on the hunt for the elusive morel, never knowing when I'm going to walk around the other side of a tree and be surprised by a jumbo white morel. Or a whole patch of them!

There's something instinctual or intuitional about finding morels. Most often, I have a sense, a physical feeling, in my gut and heart, just prior to making the discovery. I notice I slow my pace and breathing and become more alert. I've noticed the same intensity just before a fish hits my lure. I've learned how to detect the oncoming surprises at a cellular level that does not take away from the surprise but, instead, enhances it. 

You can too. We're all capable of having these feelings or “hints” prior to being surprised. Most of us, however, don't notice them because we haven't practiced. When we practice an activity that involves hunting or searching for something, we more frequently have the opportunity to notice what we were feeling and sensing just prior to the discovery. Go on the hunt, I suggest. And become accustomed to being surprised. 

“The moments of happiness we enjoy take us by surprise. It is not that we seize them, but that they seize us.” ~Ashley Montagu 

”Surprise is the greatest gift which life can grant us.” ~Boris Pasternak

Small Wonder

We're getting our first feel of spring. It's only the first of March here in Northern Michigan so we're defining “spring weather” as the occasional 40+ degrees at midday. That's enough. Long underwear is no long a daily routine. I'm not even bothering to put my coat on to run to the mailbox. One of the purely delightful things I find about this time of year is that the same temperatures we had back in November felt so much colder. Now, in March, 40 degrees is a heat wave! The other thing I love about this time of year is there is still way too much snow on the ground for me to feel the pressures of yard work, window washing and the usual spring chores. So it's spring without the work. Now when I take a breath of fresh air, I can smell it too. All this fills me with wonder.

Wonder:
~To think or speculate curiously
~To be filled with admiration, amazement or awe; marvel
~A cause of surprise, astonishment or admiration
~A feeling of surprised or puzzled interest, sometimes tinged with admiration.

So what is it about wonder that is so remarkable and valuable? I think when you are experiencing wonder, several things happen.
1. You are more receptive and open
2. You are more likely to see and feel the possibilities
3. Wonder jumpstarts your creativity
4. And in a state of wonder, you are very, very attractive

There are many places and things that awaken that feeling of wonder in everyone who has the chance to experience them. But we can't go to the Grand Canyon, Egypt's Pyramids, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Machu Picchu, the Great Barrier Reef, or Victoria Falls every day. So how do you add a little wonder to each day? Well, what amazes you when you take the time to really notice it? Just like my elation at smelling the air for the first time in three months, there are little wonders in our daily lives. An intentional and focused noticing of these small wonders can make the difference between a ho-hum day and one that is full of creativity, amusement and possibilities.  

It's noticing that is key. Many of these small wonders are things we see every single day. We don't experience the wonder however until we take the time to notice. It does not take long. Pick anything common in your environment that calls to you. Then focus your gaze and thoughts on that one thing for just a few short minutes. It's a new way of noticing your child, a friend, the spring flowers, the winter icicles, a bird at the feeder, a deer, a lake, the fog, the rain, the sunshine, a patch of grass, or even your pet. Just take two or three minutes to remain focused enough to experience the wonder in one simple thing. Then get on with your day. Do that 10 times a day and you've spent only 20 to 30 minutes each day calming yourself, shifting your attitude, and becoming more receptive, attractive and creative. Notice how much more alive you feel. Imagine, 30 minutes each day in awe. Now that it itself is a small wonder with big rewards.