Episode #42 James & Rebecca

Micro Moments of Meaning: Finding Purpose in Everyday Life

On this episode of The Excitable Soul Podcast, Rebecca is back and together we dive into the surprisingly powerful concept of "micro moments of meaning."

Often, we think discovering purpose is about finding big, life-altering events, but as we explore through personal stories, it’s the small, everyday experiences that can hold the deepest significance.

From breathless walks in the Welsh countryside to meaningful exchanges with loved ones, we discuss how pausing to notice these tiny flashes of connection, joy, or even discomfort can help us tune in to what really matters.

The conversation is both practical and heartwarming, packed with tips for noticing, capturing, and sharing those micro moments, so you can begin to piece together your own sense of purpose, one meaningful minute at a time.

Join us as we uncover why meaning doesn’t have to be monumental, how to spot the whispers of purpose in daily life, and why sharing your experiences might just deepen them further. Whether you’re feeling a little lost, or just looking for new ways to feel connected, this episode delivers inspiration and easy actions to help you find purpose in the ordinary.

Read the transcript here

James Glover [00:00:09]:

Alrighty. Welcome to the excitable soul podcast. Here, we are interested in all things purpose. We want to know where and how people find meaning and connection in their lives. In every episode, we're gonna be hearing the real life stories of how people have uncovered, understood, and unleashed their own unique sense of purpose. Our hope is that we can all learn from the stories and the journeys of our guests so that we can better find the sense of purpose in our own lives. I'm host James Glover, performance coach and purpose nerd. I'm incredibly excited to be exploring these stories with you.

James Glover [00:00:44]:

So let's get going, shall we? Hey, everybody. Welcome back to the Excitable Soul podcast. It's Rebecca and James with you for our monthly musing on the things that are interesting us, provoking us, exciting us, troubling us from the world of purpose. And, this week, we thought we'd have a conversation about micro moments of meaning. Try and say that four times fast, Beck. Micro moments of meaning. Micro moments of meaning. Micro moments of meaning.

James Glover [00:01:18]:

Micro moments of meaning.

Rebecca [00:01:20]:

You've got really good, enunciation games in quite

James Glover [00:01:23]:

a bit. Enunciation. Only because it's, you know, twenty five past eleven and I've had two coffees. Otherwise otherwise, I'm not so sure. Because we're we were intrigued by this kind of sense or struggle that that people, share with us about, initially in their journey to connecting with a sense of purpose. It feels like it has to be something grand and something that's about shifting or changing the world. And, this idea of being able to become aware of the moments that are meaningful for them, it can all feel pretty pretty big. And so often what we see and understand is that meaning can be really small moments.

James Glover [00:02:05]:

They can be kind of ordinary moments that actually are filled with deep emotional resonance and that actually it doesn't have to be something that's kind of grand or obvious. It can be something that's tiny, but that when you're paying attention to it, when you're really consciously aware of it, when you connect in with the emotion associated with it, you start to understand the meaningfulness of it. And it felt to us at least that having a conversation about micro moments of meaning could be a really actionable tool, a really simple way for people to to to connect in with this work around purpose. So, yeah, we thought we'd we thought we'd have a conversation about some of the things and some of the experiences that have resonated with us. How's that sound for you, Bec?

Rebecca [00:02:56]:

Sounds pretty good, James. Pretty good.

James Glover [00:03:01]:

Obviously, when we came up with this idea and we were both like, yeah. Cool. Let's have that conversation. It was then immediately followed by, when have we had micro moments of shit. Like Is

Rebecca [00:03:11]:

that micro enough? Maybe that's big. Like, I got a big big idea about that. I don't see the size of my moment.

James Glover [00:03:17]:

Yeah. Can I can I even think of any of these things? But then, but then as ever, you start to get into the conversation and things emerge. And and, and I guess I wanted to start with a a shared experience of yesterday. So our brother I was gonna say our younger brother, but he's this kind of he's the sandwich meat in between the two slices of artisan bread that are you and I. I know. Yeah. That was off the cuff. That wasn't George George.

James Glover [00:03:49]:

He, he lives in North Wales, and, we decided to jump in the car and, go spend some time together, which was, like an absolute gift. And where he lives, there's really great walking literally from from his front door. So we, we set out yesterday morning having probably had one too many beers at his local pub the evening before, and, and and went for a went for an absolutely incredible walk. And for me, there was a few micro moments of meaning in that experience, and I thought it might be just a nice place for us to kinda compare notes around that. The first micro moment of meaning for me was walking up the incredibly steep incline that occurred the second we left his house. And within within six to seven minutes, not being able to breathe. And the meaning for that for me was, am I is this where I'm at in my life stage in my mid forties that I can't I can't walk walk up an incline and genuinely questioning the choices that we've made both in that moment and the night before.

Rebecca [00:05:05]:

Would you like to point out as well? Right? So you say that you you couldn't breathe, but you and Joseph were holding an alright conversation in between gasping for breaths, and I couldn't talk. Like, there just wasn't wasn't space for that. And when you realized that, you guys said, now is the perfect time to say whatever you want to Rebecca because she can't there's nothing she won't do about it. So it's like, wait. Great. Awesome.

James Glover [00:05:32]:

So I wasn't gonna go there, but I'm but I'm glad that you did because that feels meaningful to me.

Rebecca [00:05:38]:

I mean

James Glover [00:05:39]:

Yeah. In that it's kind of reflective of the, playful relationship that the three of us have actually in that, yeah, in that in that it was laden with love. There was there was kind of love and affection that you can see that there might be a moment of struggle for one and, what on the outside might feel like, a synchronized attack actually isn't. It's one of it's one of genuine care. So, like How'd you wear that out? Because because because because we we stopped to to, like, to to banter in this way so that there was opportunity to catch breath. But we weren't but we weren't outwardly signalling, alright. There could be some kind of cardiac issue, and where's the closest place that we can get an ambulance to where we are?

Rebecca [00:06:30]:

I think that you are attaching meaning after the event to make yourself sound better. That's what

James Glover [00:06:37]:

I think. Either way this is a sense making process.

Rebecca [00:06:41]:

Right okay. Manipulative one. Okay. Anyway, but yes. I so I I think on that particular part of the journey it's my brain goes a million miles an hour. So during that time, there were so many things that were going through my head because because I couldn't say it out loud because I couldn't breathe. The that was sort of a bit similar to your the comment that you just made is this where I'm at in my life. And this sort of comparison of I've tried really hard this year to to regain some sort of control over my health or my, you know, stamina and strength and whatever you're in.

Rebecca [00:07:18]:

It was a real, have I achieved that or have I not achieved that or where do I go? Or, like, the pride in this is painful, but this is what I asked for. And, yeah, like, that seems it wasn't a wow moment at that point. It was it was an wow moment. Yeah.

James Glover [00:07:39]:

Yeah. I love that. Yeah.

Rebecca [00:07:40]:

Oh, but that sort of and and pride at the same time. Like, I'm not where I want to be because it's 10 steps ahead of me with you and Joe. Like, I'm I'm too far behind for me to be very confident about this. But actually, I'm there and I'm on the journey and that that's, you know, they're all take stock moments aren't they?

James Glover [00:08:02]:

Yeah. Yeah. And and and that I guess is one of the kind of the key triggers in this like the the moments don't have to be big but are there questioning are there questions that you're posing in that in in that moment? And I and I think what's interesting just us talking about it out loud now is I was in my head right at the very beginning as well. Like, I've had really bad, back issues, have got currently got a hip issue. And so we're walking up this thing, and, yes, there's a cardiovascular reaction from the body, but I'm kind of in my head going, can my body do this? Like, am I gonna be okay? And so you almost in those early moments when you're kind of put in in what is actually kind of a pressure situation, like your your your body is feel giving that kind of threat response of like, oh, wow. We're having to really work here. Where does your brain go in those moments? And actually for both of us, it was internal and it was self directed and it was, you know, questioning to some degree, and it took a bit of time to be able to go, oh, no. Well, it's okay.

James Glover [00:09:07]:

We're alright. Whatever that looks like. Okay. We're alright. And that feels almost in, like, stark contrast with the final part of the walk. So we did this we did this, we walked up to a peak. So Joe lives in the Snowdonia National Park and spent most of Saturday night in the pub with those from his village trying to learn the official Welsh, language for Snowdonia and for Snowdon and I'm not gonna do that here because I can't remember it.

Rebecca [00:09:40]:

You couldn't do it when it was being demonstrated right in front of you, James. So

James Glover [00:09:43]:

True story. So, so I just want to acknowledge and apologize to any of our, Welsh listeners that I haven't, you know, used the the appropriate language. However, one we're we're walking a particular peak, and, and so pretty much the first third of the walk took two thirds of the time because it was straight up. And then then we spent some time, up on the, on the peak where you were able to look down through the valley, the Conway Valley on one side, and you're able to look out over the sea towards Ireland on the other side. It was just breathtaking, and then walk back down the other side and back into the village. So the the set the the kind of the final third where we're walking down the the other side, there was a moment where we'd kinda dropped into a forest, and we were we were walking across and next to, like, brooks and streams that were just it was absolutely idyllic. The weather was beautiful, and the sun was coming through the trees, and it was warm but not too hot. And you we weren't, you know, breathing like some significant physical injury had taken place.

James Glover [00:10:51]:

And actually I remember just kind of looking over at you and seeing that you were in your own little world about how beautiful it was and then you caught my eye and you turned around and said something like, we're literally walking in my tattoo that you're having next next next week. So there were like, that that felt like a special moment of connection and a moment of meaning. Like, look where we are, look what we're doing, look how we're doing it together, and look how special this is. But I wonder what was happening for you in your head there when you went, like, well, we're literally walking in my tattoo. Well, it's interesting because I I haven't got any tattoos

Rebecca [00:11:27]:

at the moment. This is gonna be my first tattoo, and I'm really excited about it. I've never had a problem with tattoos. I've just never felt like I would like something for long enough to have it permanently etched to my skin because I've had ideas for things, and then a couple of months later, it's gone. And I've I've I'm a massive Pinterest fan, so I've got boards for everything. And I've my tattoo board has been consistent for a couple of years, and I was like, I think that's a sign, a sign that now is the time. And I'm I'm just getting, like, wild flowers and vines and whatever sort of twisted around my wrist is the plan. And when I've told people about it they're like what's the significance? What's the meaning? And I'm like it doesn't have one it's just really pretty.

Rebecca [00:12:09]:

But I have always been drawn to things like that, you know, it's it's like an emotional or a gut thing that I just there's something about being in trees when light streams through the leaves and there's a pattern on the floor that just takes me to a different place. And I love flowers, but I cannot remember the names or how to look after them or whatever you're in and see it being in that sort of there's a babbling brook beside you. So there's the noise, and you've got, like, crickets or whatever it was that was in the grass making that noise that sounds like a rattlesnake that isn't you know? That that sort of so you're, like, totally surrounded and surrounded by you and my brother and this you you and my other brother, you know, both of you. And that sort of, like, the banter between you two and just not having to be responsible for anything, just being in the moment. And I was sort of looking around going have this that guttural reaction to the this space like this. I just there was a couple of times where I just went, I was just so beeping beautiful. And that's what it is. You just kind of go it's it's despite everything.

Rebecca [00:13:18]:

It's it's not been planted by a particular person. It's just is. You know and it's gorgeous and it reaches towards goodness and you know there's there's like so many different things that sit aside one another and I was just it was just a complete moment of contentment you know like this is stunning and I don't consider myself an outside an outside person but I've wanted for a really long time to start doing these walks more often because there's just something about it that's intangible And it was like a bubble of excitement of, ah, I'm in it.

James Glover [00:14:00]:

I yeah. And there's something really wonderful in all of this for me, which is, the kind of the head, heart, gut experience. And we've both been, kind of immersing ourselves in systems and system coaching and constellating for the last few months. And in this, in this particular work that we've been doing, they talk about the centers of intelligence around head, heart, and gut. And that, you know, the head often is the thing that rules, is the thing that we kind of lead with, is the thing that moves quickest, and therefore, leads often. When actually it's the the kind of the heart and the gut that kinda create the depth and they're the ones that actually have a greater amount of information and experience and wisdom that they're drawing upon and being able to open yourself up to experience that. But it's also how do you feed that, isn't it? And there's something about being able to acknowledge when when you're in the middle of these moments of meaning and how they are feeding your soul, they are feeding your heart, and they are feeding your gut. And it is just connecting you to a deeper level of wisdom and insight, and building that kind of reservoir of emotional depth, in a way that you don't get if you're not partaking in those or seeing those or feeling those or experiencing experiencing those.

James Glover [00:15:31]:

So, you know, I don't know how much of that walk I will remember in ten years' time, but looking over and seeing your face and you be lost in that moment, that will be something I will remember or remember your face.

Rebecca [00:15:44]:

Oh, James.

James Glover [00:15:47]:

And it's kind of but it's kind of cool to be able to explore the meaning from both perspectives. So, you know, what what was happening for you, but the fact that I found the meaning in that moment through you. Yeah. Yeah. It was beautiful, and it was, like in a, you know, a phenomenal, spot from from a nature perspective. But actually, it was you in that moment that I was like, there's something there's something happening for me here because of that and seeing that, in exactly the same way that when we were at the very top of the mountain, and Joe jumped on top of the cairn, which, you know, kind of represents the the highest point on that particular peak and started to twerk. Like, I will remember that forever too. There's no after that you see a six foot four Viking dropping it like it's hot.

Rebecca [00:16:39]:

While the drone circulated it.

James Glover [00:16:41]:

Honestly, while his drone captured it.

Rebecca [00:16:43]:

Yeah. Exactly. Maybe we shouldn't. I think why it's quite important to kind of to point out and feel quite like a a negative person because this always seems to be what I draw back to, is that it isn't always the the beautiful moments that do that. Like, it's it's about alignment, isn't it? So it's things like from the mouths of babes. My, a a little while ago, I'd had, I've been doing a lot of work as I always do, but knowing a lot of work and I've been doing some work on an evening and I was trying to get some stuff sorted and the kids were getting ready for bed and it was always as as hectic as it usually is. And I think it was my daughter came in, and she had said, what's your favorite thing to do, mommy? Oh, it's work, isn't it? And then just walked out. And I had this sinking feeling that that is my daughter's perception of me.

Rebecca [00:17:42]:

Like, it wasn't spending time with her. It wasn't the things that I actually really like doing. It wasn't creating. It wasn't reading. It wasn't spending time with family, which if I probed her, if we had a longer discussion about it, that these are the things that she would say. She said them in other moments. But in that particular moment, it was a, well, that tells me more than anything else. Like and and it wasn't so much that she she said it.

Rebecca [00:18:09]:

It was my reaction to her saying it, like, repulsed. Like, this is not this is not in alignment with what I act with my purpose, with what I actually want. Like, it's and it was that sort of moment to pause and reflect. So it's it's not it it is, isn't it? It's that sort of it's these mini snapshots in time that if you're not looking out for them like signposts to direct your next movement, you could miss them, and you get further and further away from from from your purpose, from, you know, from being in a line. But the more that you are aware of them, why is it that I feel disconnected? Why is it that I feel lonely or down or miserable? What is it that I'm not doing? You know, what is it what is it about that sensation, or what is it about that conversation, or what is it about this moment in time, this meal that I'm making that's made me stop and go, and what should I do about it?

James Glover [00:19:10]:

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And and, again, the the power in just being able to, be open to those experiences. So, like, remove the judgment out of, you know, we the fact that we can go from, oh, this idyllic setting in the Welsh Hills, sun streaming, la de da, to, oh my god, I feel shocking because of a comment that's come from somebody that I really care about. That we can laden all of that with emotion and, and actually spend most of our time trying to trying to metabolize the emotion, like or trying to judge the emotion, like, positively or negatively. And, actually, if we go first things first, regardless of what the quality of the emotion is, I'm feeling something. Can I pay attention to that? And then how is that feeling or that felt experience helping me understand what's going on right now, and what do I want to or need to pay attention to? And the fact that those moments can come multiple times in the day if you are open to them, if you are aware of them.

James Glover [00:20:19]:

Like that I think is is really incredible and we, you know, we we thought about this idea of, of kind of micro moments that that really matter and almost can we challenge ourself to find one moment of meaning? Could could you find one moment of meaning every day? Could you try and keep yourself aware of one moment of meaning in every day that that helps you see and understand how aligned am I to a sense of purpose or not? Or how am I continuing to find more information that helps me on my journey to finding a sense of purpose. You know, if we just derisk everything and go, yeah, one one minute. One minute meaning. One minute moment of meaning across the course of the day. Like, how would you how would you do that? And so for me, there's, like, there's a whole bunch of simple steps that you could almost you could count them on one hand, I think. And I'm I'd be really I'd be really interested in your perspective on this, Beck, as to whether or not there's some stuff stuff you would shift or change. But I think the first thing is, like, slowing down. This idea of being able to notice when something shifts and changes.

James Glover [00:21:32]:

Like, if we're screaming through a busy day, like, even in that moment with your daughter, if you'd been so consumed with the busyness of the bit of work, you might not have really even acknowledged the comment. But but you did. You were there in it. And, and it had the opportunity then create the impact. So there's something about being able to to to slow down in we're not talking about slow down every minute of every moment, but meaning rarely shouts, it whispers. So if you are in a moment where you're able to just create a greater level of presence, then there's a chance that in that moment you'll be able to see, feel, understand some some some meaning. So there's something about about this ability to slow down. The second thing for me, if we're working across this kind of palm of of fingers is to is to sense.

James Glover [00:22:33]:

Like, don't actively scan and look for it but kind of tune in emotionally. Like the the the kind of the heart and gut data is within you. It's in your body. You know, to your point, the body knows before the mind does. So rather than trying to, like, look out for it, you're trying to sit with it. So it's not observing an event, it's feeling one. That make sense?

Rebecca [00:23:07]:

Yeah. It does. I I would I would add to that, I suppose, in kind of going if you're taking one moment in a day as, you know, so as you could as a strategy. There is an element of scanning for it, but it's what you're scanning for. So I think you're absolutely right. You're not looking for the moment. I'm not looking for the, when that person said that or I was at the top of that hill at that point. You know? So because that's you turning around.

Rebecca [00:23:37]:

It's you, artificially trying to create something magical. It's scanning for the feeling, isn't it? It's that kind of I

James Glover [00:23:48]:

feel that. Yeah. I think that language between kind of sense and scan is quite nice then, isn't it? Because scan is almost like in my head anyway, it's kind of like this you know, I've got this I've got Arnold Schwarzenegger as Terminator as the image that immediately came to mind and those scenes where you go and you look through his eyes and his eyes are you know, you can see, like, it the scans are taking place. It's like, oh, man, same size as me, match. I'm gonna get his clothes and, like, like, that's kind of what scanning feel like. Even in sport, I'm working in sport for ten years, especially when you work in work in team sports, like like, what what well, we're prescanning the field before we ever get the ball. So head up, look around, what's going on? And then whereas there's something about sensing, which is just it is scanning, but it's scanning for a different type of information. It's tuning into something that's, that's slightly different.

James Glover [00:24:35]:

So I think that's that's really great. And I think the the third element of this, the kind of the middle finger in all of it is is almost being able to ask a question of, does this matter to me? You know, what kind of moments consistently feel meaningful to you? And so there might be something in this, like, one minute of meaning every day where actually part of the slowing down is because you have been provoked by something. And so you take the chance to go, right, I'm just gonna slow down for a minute. I'm gonna sense this experience, and then I'm gonna pose a question around, you know, actually, does this does this moment feel meaningful to me? And if it does, what is it about it that's creating that sense of significance or importance? What value might be being pointed out to me in this moment?

Rebecca [00:25:27]:

Yeah. And I think that that gets easier over time because you start to spot patterns. Right? Actually, several days on a row, it's been something associated with this particular area area of my area of my life. Or I have noticed when there are peaks of stress or when I have moments with my family, these are the things that are occurring to me. You know? So, like, the the longer that you do it for, the more consistently that you do it for, you you start you you just become more in tune to it. And then it wouldn't be a case of I waited until the end of the day, and then I thought about it and this happened. You start to go, this is one of those moments. You know, this is this is the sort of time where I start to feel these feelings, and then you can sit in it at the actual time.

Rebecca [00:26:08]:

You know, that's awareness means that it it's like strength training. You know, you're building that muscle of of of, of understanding and and awareness and being connected to the different aspects of your your body. As we're talking about this, now that we're on films, it just makes me think of, Dumbledore and the pensive. You know, that's like pulling pulling things out and keeping them because especially if and I'm sure you're gonna come on to it. You'll find a way of recording it if you want to record it. You know?

James Glover [00:26:43]:

That's It's almost like we've, you know, thought about this conversation because because that's actually where steps four and five go in this kind of five step process. So if you wanted to, you could stop at step three. Right? Those those first three steps are critical and can be impactful. And if, like me, you don't like there being any more than three things because otherwise it's really hard to remember, you could just stop here. So there is something about slowing down. There is something about sensing and not scanning, and there is something about being able to then ask the questions to kind of inquire about the experience. However, deepening the experience and being able to kind of return to it and, and explore it probably requires a couple of other things. And the first one is, is around capturing it.

James Glover [00:27:27]:

So step four here is if you have and you are realizing that you're kind of caught in this, this this kind of emotional experience and that there might be value being pointed out to you, being able to take a voice note and talk about it out loud because we all know that getting things out of your head is a critical element of the sense making process or journaling. So, and I know personally that when you talk to people about journaling, again, it can feel like this, you know, that even just the word journaling depicts this big thick tone that you're kind of capturing reams and reams in. Journaling doesn't have to be. It can be quickly grabbing a pen and paper and capturing the thought and the experience in the moment. But whether it's writing it down or it's taking a voice note, it's holding on to what matters so you capture it, and then you can start to see it and interact with it in a completely different way to to be able to kind of to to exactly to your point, deepen the understanding of the patterns that you experience. And then the final element of it, which I think, just adds another layer of significance to the the capture bit is to share it. So who do you tell? You know? Like, have you ever shared a moment in the past that all of a sudden became more meaningful just because somebody else has been able to reflect it back to you or like us walking through the the the field in that moment, actually because somebody else witnessed it, it becomes more meaningful to you. So there's a couple of extra bits there that that to your point I think really kind of pushed deep in the experience.

Rebecca [00:29:11]:

I also think you know depending on who you're who you're sharing it with you you'll develop an understanding of other people and they start to spot those moments and you can look for those moments then can't you? Like if if if I'm gonna start it this evening, you know, if round the dinner table, you kind of go, let's all share just one thing. Like, we often talk about our day, like, I you know, we we do talk at the dinner table and it's like, how's your day? And, like, yeah, great. I did this, that, and the other. But in modeling it, especially when you've got children, is really important. Like, there was this moment. I felt like this, and I think that's for this reason or I'm not sure what the reason was, but it's something I want to reflect on. The more often that you do that, children particularly are really, really, clear, and they're like sponges, aren't they? And they kind of start to spot those things for themselves and can articulate them for themselves. Gosh.

Rebecca [00:30:00]:

If I can get if that's a gift that I can give my children that they can start to notice these moments themselves as a child, you know, how how how emotionally literate could they be when they're going through being a teenager? Like, when you're going through hormonal periods, when you're like, I feel like this, and I don't know why, you know, like, that's a good thing to be able to articulate. You know? It's starting to spot triggers, you know, those real joyful moments because we can assume, and we do assume a lot, you know, especially about loved ones, or they'll be feeling like this because of this. And that's because you're making senses of patterns of behavior and how they've reacted in the past, and you know them well. But to actually, you know, from their perspective, I was, you know, I was stumped at this moment, or I really spotted this, or this is the joy that I got out of that. And you kinda go, I'm seeing that from a different perspective.

James Glover [00:30:54]:

We, and and again, this is, you know, this this is kind of how meaning, works in that you connect the dots with lots of stuff. Right? So we around our kitchen table, when we have our evening meal, one of the things that my wife has always asked the kids is what was your favorite of the day? What was your favourite of the day? And, and we still do that every day and and kind of get excited at exploring what those things may be, but there's another potential layer to that. And then as you're talking, I'm thinking about being sat around the kitchen table and then thinking about the significance of the kitchen table, which we've spoken about many times before on here and and other contexts, and how important the kitchen table at my mom and dad's house is to me, and how wonderful might it be that my children feel the same way about our kitchen table, and that we're actually kind of perpetuating something that's meaningful but in our own way, in a in a very small moment of the day every day. And then the second we started to think about that, I started to think about other things. So I've got a, a friend of mine who is, he's an Australian who's currently living in Norway, who I met in Canada. And, and we got to go, skiing together a couple of years ago, and we'd not seen each other for ages. But he was over in Europe, and and we went with a couple of the other guys that we met in Canada. And, we were at the top of the mountain.

James Glover [00:32:18]:

It was an absolutely beautiful Kodak moment here. And I was like, like, obviously, nobody carries a Kodak phone because Kodak has been, you know, like, lost to the or confined to the history books for a really long time. But, you know, the classic marketing of a Kodak moment was get your camera out and take a picture of something that is meaningful or an experience that is meaningful. And he literally just stopped and looked out over the view of where we were stood to give himself the conscious space to hold onto it. I was like, ah, that's such a wonderful example of what we're describing here in this kind of one minute, meaning moments of just being able to slow down, to be able to see, to be able to hold on to that experience. And I remember where I was stood next to him doing exactly the same thing, so I can feel what all of that, all of that was like. And then the third thing that just emerged as you were talking was my Saturday mornings. So as a dad used to work away a lot as a kid, but he was always back at the weekends, and he always used to take me to judo and to karate at the weekend.

James Glover [00:33:36]:

Judo was always Saturday morning, and I remember like Saturday morning felt like time with dad. We'd go, I do judo, and I remember he'd be sat at the side of the mat where there was all the kind of tables and chairs and he'd get a cup of coffee from the the little cafe thing that was there, and he'd get a newspaper. And he would spend very little time paying attention to what I was doing on the mat and most of the time reading his new newspaper. And now on a Saturday morning, I take, Luca to Cricket, and I sit and I watch him. And I intentionally try to pay a bit more attention than dad did, but also find myself quite a lot just just reading stuff that I don't get the chance to read, like, a lot. And and often on the face, it'll be on The Athletic, and I'll be reading, like, a deep in-depth article about Arsenal and the transfer plans for the summer and be really consumed. And they get, oh, no. I'm supposed to be paying attention to what Lucas said.

James Glover [00:34:26]:

They're gonna look up. And, but after that, we go to the shop, do the weekly shop, and then put some charge in my car. So he and I will sit. I'll get me a a coffee, him a croissant, and in my car, we'll put on the Spider Man cartoon. And the two of us will just sit there together really, really enjoying a coffee, a croissant, and Spider Man. And, like, that is a really deep meaning moment for me between the two of us. But even us just sat here talking about it, like, the cascade effect of actually how these things join up and connect over time is becoming really apparent to me. So, so go almost coming full circle here, part of the reason why we wanted to have this conversation was to be able to turn around and say, it doesn't have to be overwhelming.

James Glover [00:35:16]:

It doesn't have to be the big things. And in actual fact, if you start with these little moments, what it starts to enable you to do and to see is how they connect to a whole bunch of other things that are also meaningful to you. And when you start to be able to pull all of these little things together, you really then start to get this collective significance, the collective importance that that really become the meaning markers that underpin purpose. Yeah. What are you thinking, Becca? I've just talked for quite a long time.

Rebecca [00:35:49]:

I think just, like, as you start talking about it, more and more stories come up, don't know? There's more moments where you kind of go, oh, yeah. That's one for me, and that was one for me, and, you know, and on lots of different levels. So and I think, you know, there's an element of we we were talking about children, and I, I mean, this is an interesting thing to debate because I don't know what you you feel about it. Per I wouldn't I wouldn't talk to my children about what their purpose statement is. You You know, I think they're they're developing they're developing themselves. They're developing their schemas. They're developing where they belong. You know, all of that stuff develops over a long period of time.

Rebecca [00:36:26]:

But at the same time, I think that touching base with themselves and what they like and what they don't like is really important. And that's what helps develop that sense of self that will eventually become like a deep rooted deep rooted purpose because there are moments like you're talking about with dad. I think it I think it was granddad's eightieth. It might be his eightieth or his seventieth. It was a big birthday anyway, and we'd gone to Aunt Barbara's house. And, we'd all we'd all done different things to contribute. And I remember Steph doing a picture collage. So she got loads and loads of photographs, and she'd cut around them all, and she'd put them all together, and it was really, really lovely.

Rebecca [00:37:07]:

And that was a gift that was up on the side. And I'd done a banner, and I spent hours, like, absolutely hours, like, drawing out the bubble writing for happy birthday, granddad, and then doing drawings that represented him. Like, they weren't amazing. I was a kid, but it was, like, gardening stuff, and there was a big hose pipe that was splashing water over it and what have you. And we put it up, and and to Barbara and uncle Brian's house was massive. Like, the banner was very much so lost in this random corridor. And I remember feeling, conflicted at the time because everything was going on, and the photographs that Steph had done were genuinely really good. And they were all of those moments together, and it it was like, wow.

Rebecca [00:37:44]:

That's really, really amazing. And I was stood in front of this banner that I'd made kind of gone questioning whether it was having the effect for granddad. Do you know what I mean? Like, that it was worth that time, and I was just sort of stood looking at it, kind of going and questioning myself and whether it was whether it was nice or not. And dad, interestingly enough, because dad's a big personality, but he's also a sit back and take it in kind of person, was just sort of walking past and had obviously seen me look in and just went, I think what you've done I think I think what you've done is beautiful and shows who he is and who you are in one or it was some sort of comment like, you know, I see it and I see you. And I and it was just that sense of calm that came with it that reaffirmed, no. This is who I am. This is how I contribute, and somebody else has seen that. You know? And that was at a really, really young age.

Rebecca [00:38:40]:

So it's that kind of being seeing yourself and seeing those things, but others seeing you other people seeing you. So a lot of the moments that I can think of are somebody else somebody else telling me what I can feel inside. You know? So you're kind of like, oh, this isn't just me. This is this isn't just me internally. This is who I am, and other people can connect with that and having that confirmation. You know? Some some eyeing you so that I saw this. I I saw this and thought of you, and you're kind of going, that's such a small thing, but that is so me. I have been seen.

Rebecca [00:39:14]:

You know? Like, that that is who I am. This is these these things that reaffirm who you are and your character, but then there are also these moments that reaffirm progress. You know? Like, I'd sent you and James and, you and Joe a message on our little chat thing a little while ago going, I can see progress from having been to the gym. Me me going to the gym is not a natural thing. I do not enjoy it. I never have done. Like, I'm not I've I've just people like you weird me out. Ultimately, like, why are they doing it?

James Glover [00:39:48]:

I sound like I'm some kind of gym rat. I'm definitely not one of those either.

Rebecca [00:39:52]:

No. But I remember sitting up and having this afternoon as late

James Glover [00:39:56]:

as late. Jump. Yay.

Rebecca [00:39:58]:

No. But I I sat up and I didn't have to use my arms to anchor myself. Like, it was pure core. And I just sat up and it was easy. And it was like, I want there was no oh no like swinging of my arms but I just had strength and I was like it and it clicked. I was like I've not felt that before like I've never I've never thought about it. I'm sure I did have that core strength before I had children, but it was like, oh, I can feel physically feel those muscles firing, and that's because of a conscious decision that I made to invest in that. And my goodness, now I haven't lost any weight, and the scales are really upsetting.

Rebecca [00:40:37]:

But but at this moment, I can sit up without it's not. And I'm going to tell James and Joe about it, you know. So it's like the yeah. I am the sort of person that will tell tell people the mini moments. My husband isn't at all. My husband doesn't tell people the big moments, but it's like it's like that sort of it's important to share it and for you to realize it. The more you realize it both for you and the people around you, the more self aware that you get.

James Glover [00:41:11]:

So if you if you had to impart or just offer, like, a single question or prompt to our listeners about how they can connect to their own micro moments of meaning, what what might it be? If people like yeah. If there was just one one thing that might be able to help just even initiate some of what we've been describing, what might that be?

Rebecca [00:41:37]:

No. I think I I don't the reason why I'm struggling is because I think it's the things that we've already talked about. It's having the it's having the self awareness. It's it's feeling the feels. You know? And I think it's it's just looking at it from a different perspective. So what I would say is feeling overwhelmed, feeling stressed, feeling peed off because somebody's looked at you in a different way, you know, like annoyed because you're on the road and somebody's cut you up. It's that it's those are the times to question yourself. What? Why? What is it?

James Glover [00:42:06]:

That's why it didn't matter. Yeah.

Rebecca [00:42:08]:

Yeah. Yeah. It is. It's why. Why why why did my heart sink in that moment? You know? Why has that made me laugh more than it would normally laugh? What is it about that person and what they've just done? You know, that it's that sort of it's just questioning yourself a little bit more just to start with because then when you start to win pick it, you start to realize, well, that's because it's important to me to feel seen or that's because it's important for me to bring a group together, you know, or or that communication's the key. It's that it's the questioning of why. You know, the in the heightened moments to start off with because they're the easiest things to spot, aren't they? Like, I've noticed something physically react in me. Why? And on a on a slightly different note, I went through I don't I don't journal.

Rebecca [00:42:59]:

I don't diary, but I went through a phase where I had noticed that my inner monologue was nasty, it's like I was really putting myself down, and I hadn't noticed that I was doing it until I was kind of like actually what? I just caught on to something and I was like, that's a particularly malicious thing to have thought about myself, and I would never say that to somebody else. So I had taken the moment not to do this, but I went through a period of time to of, manufacturing a period of time to come up with three awesome thoughts, you know, like something good about myself. So instead of, like, attuning to how I felt because what I was feeling wasn't good, I then almost flipped it in that moment, and I went, okay. I'm forcing myself for the next however long just to think of three really good things. And it was interesting how quickly that changed my inner my inner thought process. And I think that that in itself was a micro moment for me. That sort of Yeah.

James Glover [00:44:02]:

Big time.

Rebecca [00:44:02]:

I have control I have control over what I'm seeing and feeling, and I need to be aware of what I'm seeing and feeling so that I don't go that far down that negative spiral again. My hope would be that people don't have to get to that nasty point before they realize that that's something that they've got control over. So, yeah.

James Glover [00:44:24]:

But what a brilliant example of exactly what we're describing, which is that is a micro moment of meaning, and it's a brilliant example of a micro moment of meaning. And we wouldn't want anybody to feel like we're being prescriptive about what what those things are and aren't or what they have to be. We're just giving some ideas about how you might get started and the things to pay attention to. And so the if if if nothing else, our offer to you, our our request of you guys is, can I find one minute of meaning in every day? And in order to be able to help do that, just think about moments of slowing down, especially where you may have noticed something in your body that shifted or changed. Like, actually really tune in to the feeling, so sense, don't scan. Ask yourself the questions and, you know, bet you've just nailed it on there. But, like, ask yourself the why questions. Why did this matter? Why does this matter? Why am I feeling what I'm feeling? Is this something that has just caught me off guard? Is it something that might be pointing to some kind of value that that I don't yet understand? And if nothing else, go through cycles of that.

James Glover [00:45:44]:

But actually, if you really want to be able to see the pattern, if you really want to be able to deepen it, if you really want to be able to hold on to it, then capture it and share it. So capture it in whatever way feels comfortable to you, but then be able to share it with somebody else and kind of give them a sense of what that what that looks like and get some feedback or get some kind of validation, confirmation of experiences that they've had too. All in all, one one minute of meaning can actually start to shift not only how you see yourself, but actually the things that you pay attention to and can have a transformative impact on your perception of the world around you. So maybe give it a go, all you team out there listening to, to to this episode. And let us know. It'd be awesome if you try it out and you have, experiences. We'd love to be able to to to capture those and play some of those back next time we come together. But for now, Becca, I think that's us.

Rebecca [00:46:46]:

Yay.

James Glover [00:46:47]:

Have a great day. Massive thank you for taking the time to listen to the excitable soul podcast. If you are interested in uncovering, understanding, and unleashing your sense of purpose, come and explore our purpose immersion programs at theexcitablesoul.com. We look forward to hearing from you there or being with you on our next episode. Have an incredible day.