The Hummingbird Effect

“Slow down, you move to fast. You’ve got to make the morning last.” Simon & Garfunkel - Feelin’ Groovy

My husband and I both had corporate jobs at the time we got married.  I traveled in my work, we built a new home built and we were living in a new city. Life was very busy.  We didn’t realize how much we were missing in daily life until we slowed down enough to begin taking it all in.  We learned  “The Hummingbird Effect” from my husband’s grandparents, Ben and Dorothy, Gram and Gramps, visit to our new home in the springtime.

During Gram and Gramps visit, we found ourselves outside on our back patio quite a bit.  We apologized that we did not have a water scene for them to look out on - as they have a breathtaking view of the Long Island Sound from their home.   Gram and Gramps said they did not require water to enjoy nature and they began to point out all the abundance of life in our yard.  Gramps pointed out the time of day the birds would roost - we didn’t even know what that meant!  It means - getting ready to rest - slowing down.  As they both observed and identified the abundance of nature in our yard, and we observed them, we eventually began to move to a slower rhythm.  We slowed our pace and realized how filled up we felt by being quiet.

I’ve named this slowing down “The Hummingbird Effect”  because you have to be very still to observe hummingbirds.  During Gram and Gramps visit, we were intently watching the  hummingbird feeders and all the buzz surrounding them.   Suddenly a hummingbird flew towards Gramps, hovered in front of his face, and looked him in the eye.   Gramps froze.   It was a magical moment and memory for us all.  Did the hummingbird connect with Gramps because he was connecting with the birds?

From this wonderful visit with Gram and Gramps forward, we began to take more interest and care of our yard.   We grew to love this “extra room” of our home as it has continued to help us slow down and just be.    We find we are more centered and aware of our surroundings and ourselves as we consciously take time to be quiet and become an observer. 

You can implement The Hummingbird Effect wherever you are as it’s about being an observer in your own life.   Stop talking, sending, doing, and take time to listen and observe.   It is in listening that you open the door to your truth, authentic self and the messages from your Soul.

The Bigger Picture

This week I was in communication with friends all over the globe; a Skype from New Zealand, a voice mail from Germany, email from Nova Scotia, Canada and phone calls with my friend that lives in Hawaii.  If you had told me last year at this time I’d be conversing with all these wonderful friends, old and new in such far and distant place from where I live, I might not have believed it.   As  I’ve reflected on all this communication in one week with awe, it left me thinking about the word expansive. The  Webster’s dictionary definition of expansive is; to unfold, to open, characterized by a free and generous nature.   I’ve noticed that as I am willing to stay open to other ways of looking at things, my world expands, literally.

When we stay small and hide, we get more of the same.  Staying small in our thinking creates ridgidity; it’s tight, constrictive, and doesn’t allow anything new in.  When we open up and consider other ways of looking at something or even someone, we open to new possibilities.   Consider how the world was thought to be flat at one time.  Someone had to think bigger!  And when they did, many new discoveries began to appear.

In these changing times it’s important to stay open and look at things from other angles.  In the  28 Day Soul Coaching © Program, we expand our thinking by examining our core beliefs during air (mental) week.  Our core beliefs are decisions we’ve made at important turning points in our lives.  And even though events may have occurred in the past, these core beliefs can run our lives in the present.  I just read a quote in a magazine that said “stop replaying past potholes“.   And that is what we are doing when we do not listen to our soul.

 Take time to challenge your  beliefs and reframe them.  Warning; only consider this challenge if you desire more creativity, happiness, friends, a peaceful center, ideas, and a profound sense of fun to come into your life and relationships!