How Beauty Can Be Used as an Anti-Depressant
Today's travel stop was La Jolla, California.
And normally, I'd write about the location of La Jolla as part of our Travelogues Series, where we detail great destinations to visit and why.
But not today.
After today's visit to La Jolla, I felt changed.
And it wasn't due to a specific attraction or a cool gelato store. It wasn't a certain shopping experience or the friendly service I received.
I saw beauty that spoke to me, and I was changed.
Seeing the rolling waves, listening to the humming of the sea followed by the melodic crashing of the shorebreak, hearing the barking of sea lions and watching the snorklers floating on top of the dark, greenish blue water, all of it was like a symphony of nature working together. And I was changed.
Children weren't being scolded or made to sit quietly, but rather their little brains buzzed with curiosity as each tide pool became a treasure hole and each crab a glorious jewel discovered. "Oh my gosh!! Here it is! I found one!! Hurry! Come quick!!"
Families were laughing. Old friends caught up. Lifeguards patrolled from high above like little ocean gods in red shorts charged with keeping us all safe.
It was the beauty of the beach today that changed me. Tomorrow it may be the beauty I find in a savory meal, or the elegance and artistry of an oddly shaped tree. It may be a blog post I read or hearing about the way a beautiful friend is living out her last days after years of battling cancer.
Beauty is not only found at a beach.
It can be found in your cubicle at work, while you're waiting for your son's baseball practice to end, or in the lighting of the photo you just snapped of your grand-daughter.
How does this work? How are you changed?
- Begin to live with a new awareness.
- Spot beauty in a myriad of things throughout the day, the simple, the mundane, the overtly gorgeous. Just be on the look out.
- Gratitude will begin to bubble within. You begin to feel lucky and favored in those moments, like you had a front row seat to something wonderful.
- This gratitude will spill over into other areas of your life and being. You can't help but live and interact with others from a more positive place than before.
- You will see beauty more often now, and the cycle repeats and deepens.
Here's how we can help!
Every Monday morning, we're going to help spark your commitment to seeing beauty. We'll put up a blog post with a picture that bedazzles us. We hope it has the same effect on you!
Why Mondays?
Mondays are often the hardest morning for those waking up after a great weekend to head back to work; and as such, we think it's a great time for a beauty reminder!
As you start the practice of intentionally seeking beautiful moments throughout the week, we want to hear and see it! Post your pictures to Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook with the hashtag #ChangedByBeauty.
