A look into “Frozen Time Moments”

The topic for this weeks post is something I have experienced quite often, but have had a hard time putting into words. It is something I’m going to call “Frozen Time Moments” (or how I’m going to refer to it later in this post  FTM) Maybe there is an actual name for this sensation, or maybe I’ll think of a different name later…but for now this is what we are going with 🙂 So sit back, pick up your journal, if you would like, and get ready to explore an overwhelming source of joy!! 

What are “Frozen Time Moments”?

     Have you ever took a step back from something in your life to look around and come to the conclusion that you could not possibly be any happier than you are in this exact moment? Basically a FTM is just that, it is a moment in which you stop, look around, and realize where you are, and what you are experiencing, and you take a second to soak it all in. They are:

• moments that overwhelm you with positive feelings
• moments in which you realize you could only once dream of the things that are actually occurring right now
• moments when you are experiencing something so simple, yet you are able to see all the beauty, joy, and good wrapped up in it
• moments that take your breath away
• moments that make you say “This is what I have always wanted in my life”
• Simply, moments of pure, genuine happiness

Examples

Below are a few examples of my own FTMs, to get you started thinking about where you can find them in your life.

• One of the first times I realized this sensation is when I was 19 and doing a summer internship in Germany. With this program I work at a day care in Germany and travel around Europe on the weekends. The whole summer was basically one big FTM and it spark my deep passion for travel and experiencing all that I can in this world. My FTM that sticks out clearest to me was simply sitting in a plaza in a town in Germany eating ice cream with some new friends that I had just made. It sounds so simple, but in that moment my dreams of traveling, and meeting people from around the world had come true.
  

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• Another moment that sticks out to me is one time I met up with some of my Chilean friends here in Arica. We were sitting by the ocean just talking and laughing. I remember stopping, looking around and realizing I was in speaking Spanish with my friends that didn’t speak English. I had studied Spanish for SO many years (…11 years…and it is still a challenge haha) and I was speaking with my friends like I would with any of my friends back home.
  

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• When I was doing my student teaching I walked into the school one day and one of my students simply said “Good morning Ms. Murphy!” That made me realize one simply yet valuable thing… I AM a teacher. All the doubts in my head of not knowing if I’m good enough, feeling like I still have no idea what I am doing, disappeared in that moment.
  

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How to find them in your life

I’ve noticed that these moments come to me when I allow myself to slow down (like we dove into last week 🙂 ) and just take in what is happening around me and appreciate all of it. These moments might come easily to us when we are traveling or experiencing something brand new, when the novelty of the experience can spark that deep wonder in us, BUT it is possible, and very rewarding, to find these moments in our daily life as well. 

When you do encounter one of these moments and everything seems to “freeze” take it all in. Just breathe, take note of why you are experiencing this, and take in all the happiness it gives you. These moments are one of my favorite things in life. After I chose the theme of this post I decided I want to start keeping a list of them in my journal, and I encourage you to do the same! As my list grows I will share it with you guys! 🙂

I hope you encounter many of these moments daily!

Namaste,