We play a game called “spotto” when we’re driving, where you get points for every yellow car you “spot”.
Since my daughter loves pink and purple, we’ve added those cars to the game (3 points for every purple ute you spot!)
I’d never noticed how many yellow cars there are, but once you train your brain to look for them, they’re everywhere.
I even catch myself shouting “spotto” when driving solo.
Our brains filter information based on relevance. If we decide something is relevant or important – e.g., yellow cars, we’re more likely to notice these things.
It’s not that there are more yellow cars – it’s that I’ve trained my brain to notice it.
Once we realise we can program our brain’s Reticular Activation System (RAS), we can direct our brain to pay more attention to certain things.
So, on my drive home from yoga on Sunday, I noticed something besides yellow cars.
It wasn’t a deliberate thought; it just dropped into my awareness as the best ones do.
But I liked it so much that I’ve decided to make it deliberate and get my brain working for me.
Right now, the zeitgeist is on edge.
It’s like March 2020 again, when we were all hoarding toilet paper.
And the more we focus on fear and uncertainty, the more we notice it.
This means that our brains will likely filter out positive news as it seems less relevant.
So, I decided to start noticing “the good” all around me, especially in other people.
There are good people doing good things everywhere.
The more you look for the good, the more you see.
And this realisation filled me with much hope, which, like petrol, is in short supply.
I noticed it when I saw two clients hug each other, as both their partners have prostate cancer.
I noticed it when a client offered to gift their unused membership to someone in need.
There’s a new depth and presence in the conversations I have with clients before and after class.
People are more open, including me.
I even allowed some clients to hug me (and if you know me, you’ll know I’m not a hugger).
I don’t know about you, but I just feel more human right now.
Not that I wasn’t before, but I can really feel our collective humanity, and that gives me hope.
We did three Oms in class yesterday – one for ourselves, one for our fellow yogis and one to send out into the world.
It feels incredible to receive so many Oms from others.
It gets you in the heart.
And when I opened my eyes, there were tears of recognition in the front row.
It’s the human connection and co-regulation that we all need in times like these.
That connection is here every day. Come and find it here.
Keep calm,
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