Beauty Hunting
by Cassie Connor June 15th, 2025
As we approach the summer solstice happening on June 20th, we approach the longest day of the year, or the day with the most sunlight. As the days have been getting longer, you may be feeling increasingly social, energetic and optimistic. This is the gift that the sun can give us, and my hope for you is that you soak it in (safely).
This time of the year can be a time for celebrating the beauty that is all around us. I mean, have you seen the flowers lately? I’ve been noticing new blooms every week. It’s so beautiful, it’s almost unbearable!
Especially for any of us living with long-term mental health challenges, appreciating the good moments when they come is essential. And for those of us who are highly sensitive, this is one of our gifts.
Beauty-hunting
Seeking and making beauty is a practice, and one worth devoting ourselves to. In her book On Being Human, Jennifer Pastiloff describes the practice of intentionally hunting for, and finding, beauty.
There are so many (very legitimate) things to be mad/sad/scared about, but you already know that. Our brains are very good at noticing those things, and that’s a good thing as far as our survival is concerned. Our thriving, though? Our imagination, our capacity for care and connection? Those aspects of our experience are things that most of us need to practice, and stubbornly so.
If you’d like to begin the practice of beauty-hunting, here’s a practice for you:
Step outside (or look out the window)
Count all the beautiful things that you can see
Gather just 1 beautiful thing to take with you as a reminder of the beauty that surrounds you
What to gather: it could be a flower, a fallen leaf, a rock that fits perfectly in your hand. Or a photo of a tree, a river, a mural. It could be a wonderfully wonky pottery mug, a painting, a candle. Although you don’t need to spend any money at all, if you do — art is a fruitful thing to invest in, as far as joy is concerned. Be mindful not to deplete natural beauty (or your bank account) by taking or hoarding it. I promise, there will be more.
Optional: write down some of the beautiful things you see: a tender moment, an act of care, a sunset, a passionate shopkeeper — whatever you find. Congratulations, you are now a poet. :)
Is this a cure? Of course not. Can it be a lifeline? Absolutely.
For many of us, beauty is a lifeline when things feel hopeless/grey/various forms of terrible. In addition to the pain that exists, beauty is here too. It’s all true.
Physiologically, being in states of awe, wonder, joy and connection are healing and reparative. They are generally contradictory to stress, defence and survival functions. This gives us the reprieve we need, and the ~gas in our tank~ to keep going. Beauty, love and art are some of the many things that make life worth living, even when living is hard.
Sometimes, feeling into joy, awe, delight and connection is an enormous challenge. We can appreciate that something is technically beautiful, but we still feel (frankly): dead inside. We may be depressed, grieving or traumatized. This too is a part of life.
I hear you, I have been there too. Please, be patient with yourself and know that returning to joy is something that can be practiced over time. Your joy practice can and should live alongside the deeper healing work you’re doing, including (but not limited to): therapy, medication, and sometimes major life changes. If and when you start feel the little flicker of joy lighting you back up, you will know how hard-earned this was: how you quietly held hope for yourself even in the abyss.
Delights!
I am DELIGHTED to share with you The Book of Delights by Ross Gay. And then when you finish that, The Book of (More) Delights. No spiritual bypassing here, Ross Gay helps us find the beauty and magic in the mundane moments that are unfolding around us, alongside the terrors that are also true. He is nurturing, honest and truly wonderful. I highly recommend the audiobooks!