Welcome to the NHP Advent Calendar 2024.

For the last 3 years we have shared an advent calendar with our community to share gifts of inspiration, reflection and insight in the run up to Christmas & New Year. This year we have decided to share it with our wider community on LinkedIn.

For 2024 we are playing with the idea of seasoning. And, of course, specifically wintering. We intend our daily message to be an invitation, springboard, seed, play thing for you to take seriously, reflect upon, discard as you wish. We always love to hear from you so if anything strikes, inspires or moves you get in touch or comment below.

Day 4 | The Gift of Reflection

How about if you could open up a gift that gave you clarity, fresh perspective, and a sense of capability?

Who wouldn't want that?

Well, here it is, it's the gift of reflection, and the hussle is we've just wrapped up something that you've already got.

Reflection isn't just a daydream or excuse to check out of what's going on for a bit.

It's a bonafide way of expanding your consciousness to help you get navigate life and get things done in an easier and clearer way.

One way of thinking about it is that we live in the equivalent of a glass lift, looking out at the world. Sometimes the lift seems to stick at ground level and we literally cannot see the wood for the trees.
If we could get the the lift to go up we'd be able to see the wood for what it was, the size of it, the density and we'd have a new and clear perspective on how to navigate it.
Reflection is one way of getting the lift to go up. When we reflect it's like we've taken our finger off of the 'doors open' button and the lift can go up.

As it happens we do it all the time without noticing; when we're walking the dog, making coffee, driving to work. It's like we've switched channel in our mind, or moved from staring hard to a more relaxed gaze to help us see more.

Once we've realised that's how it works it's effortless. We don't have to force our thinking to change, or even force ourselves to think differently. Reflection does that for us.

And if you're not sure how to reflect - there are lots of different ways, here's an experiment to run to help you get a feel for it...
Pick something you are passionate about (a hobby maybe)
- Make a list of what you know about it
- Then make a list of what you think about it
- Now make a list of what you're beginning to suspect about it
- Consider the differences between the output of the lists and how it felt to make each one.

For most people making the 3rd list is closest to reflection - it's expansive, light, and brings fresh or different perspectives.

Try it for yourself, we picked a hobby in the experiment to give you a fun thing to play with, but you could do this with anything. The key is to notice what it feels like to reflect so you can do it more easily.

When we are actually showing up in the present all of our past learning, our fresh thinking in this moment and our future imaginings organise themselves helpfully and effectively empowering us to handle whatever is occupying us.

We are perfectly designed for reality and being present to the present brings that reality into sharp focus enabling us to move forward with ease and grace.

This present is not just for Christmas but for life.

Thought is like this.

At times our thoughts appear to be as solid as an iceberg and at other times they seem as insubstantial as a wisp of cloud in a clear blue sky.
So it’s helpful to remember that no matter how solid our thought may appear to us, just as icebergs melt, evaporate and return to the sky, so too with thoughts. Seemingly persistent they melt away and return whence they came.
So
🎵Let it snow
Let it snow 🎶
🎵Let it snow

Here's an experiment...

Find something coming to life or 'lighting up' this winter.

Maybe you'll find discover signs of new life within the winter hibernation.

Maybe it'll be something that lights you up and brings you joy.

If you look, you'll notice.

And if you notice, you'll get even more of it.

Our egos are more like garlic than you might think. They play a role in the human system, are a key ingredient in the mix, but are terrible as the star ingredient.

And just like too much garlic, it's really obvious to tell when you've overdone it.

When we've got extra ego in the mix we get urgent, frustrated, and out of balance.

Happily, unlike garlic, if our ego has got out of control, you don't have to throw the whole dish away, instead all you have to do is notice, and allow your mind to come back to its normal balanced state.