Beauty Appreciation, Part 2

Last week I wrote about taking beauty breaks—giving yourself time to notice and enjoy the beauty around you. Have you been thinking about the types of beauty that move you most? Here are a few:

• Visual: creation, art, design
• Auditory: music, birdsong, laughter
• Written: poetry, literature, essays, scripture

How can you remind yourself to notice and look for the beauty around you? Think through your day. Where will you be? What will you be doing? Where and when might you see beauty? Be intentional. Consider keeping a beauty journal so you can record, remember, and continue to appreciate your experiences.

How can you bring more beauty into your life? Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Get up early enough to watch the sunrise. If you’re in the car when the show starts, turn off the radio and spend a few minutes watching and savoring.

• Take a walk and enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of creation.

• Buy an inexpensive, fragrant bouquet of flowers for your desk or kitchen.

• Put special art books, postcards, calendars, or even works of art on your desk, your kitchen table, or your walls. They just might inspire you.

• Visit an art museum or gallery. Spend some time examining the works that draw you. What do you like about them? If you want to, jot down the titles of the works and the names of the artists so you can research them later.

• Listen to music. Treat yourself to something new—maybe a classical CD—and see how it changes your day.

• Read from a book of poetry, a classic novel, or scripture passages on your lunch break or whenever you find yourself waiting.

• If you’re a parent, teach your kids to look for beauty. Make a game of it, watch what happens, and share the joy of beauty with them.

What are your ideas? I’d love to hear them.

Beauty Appreciation

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“This world in which we live needs beauty in order not to sink into despair. Beauty, like truth, brings joy to the human heart and is that precious fruit which resists the erosion of time, which unites generations and enables them to be one in admiration!” Pope John Paul II, “Letter to Artists,” Easter Sunday, 1999.

I’m a beauty advocate. A beauty appreciator. Beauty brings joy to my heart and I know I’m not alone. The sad thing is, even though we are surrounded by beauty, we’re so busy talking on our cell phones or hurrying to the next appointment that we rush right by it. Beauty requires us to stop and look—or listen. When we do, we are refreshed, energized, maybe even encouraged to talk a little less and slow down a little more.

Where is the beauty in your life? Look around you—at home, at work, on your commute—and take note of beauty in your environment.

What type of beauty moves you the most? Here are a few:
• Visual: creation, art, design
• Auditory: music, birdsong, laughter
• Written: poetry, literature, essays, scripture

What are some ways you can remind yourself to take note of the beauty around you?

How can you bring more of this type of beauty into your life?

This week, give yourself beauty breaks, even if only for a few minutes. Think through these questions. I know you’ll come up with some ideas. Leave a comment and let me know. Next week, I’ll give you a few more ways to appreciate the beauty in your life.