Gratitude – take a moment to pause and consider the word. If you close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and say the word “gratitude” to yourself, what do you experience? Do you feel it somewhere in your body? Does an image or idea come to mind? Do you feel a resistance rise in you? Or a feeling of familiarity or comfort? How does the idea of gratitude land with you right now?
As human creatures, we are hard-wired to look for the shady figure lurking in the shadows and to spot potential threats to our physical well-being. While this pre-disposition to recognize challenges can help us stay physically safe, it can also represent a real challenge to being a joyful and peaceful presence ~ it can be difficult to be joyful with fear of lurking danger always present in your mind. For this reason, it can be an incredibly useful practice to train our minds to also recognize the sources of joy, inspiration and awe that are present in any given moment. The intentional practice of gratitude offers us a way to refocus our awareness to recognize not just the potential threats and pitfalls of life but the joys and blessings too.
Gratitude has been a daily practice for me since my mid-twenties. When I began, it was a formal practice ~ I kept a gratitude journal; writing down at least three things that I was grateful for at the end of each day. I’d love to tell you that I was a natural and that gratitude flowed from me effortlessly but that was definitely NOT the case ~ finding three unique things to be grateful for each day was sometimes challenging (which was why I turned to the practice in the first place). Looking back, it is clear that I was not living my life anchored in appreciation for the many gifts and blessings that surrounded me. In fact, I was living in a beautiful area, with an interesting, challenging and rewarding job, and I was grumbly and dissatisfied. (Coincidently (or not), this is also the time in my life that I first found yoga and meditation.) I do not remember who or what brought me the idea of a gratitude journal but I am grateful that I followed through ~ it was a game-changer for me.
To this day, I maintain a daily gratitude practice. It is far less formal now ~ when I first wake-up each morning, I begin with a simple prayer of “thank you for this day” and allow the rest to flow naturally from there ~ but no less impactful. In fact, I lean more heavily into gratitude when I find myself grumbly or cranky or out-of-sorts; reminding myself throughout the day to be grateful for blessings great and small. The practice of gratitude has become a reset button that I press anytime I notice my inner judge/critic rising to the surface or when I am in need of a shift in perspective. And the intentional practice of gratitude can form the foundation of a sustainable, nourishing and nurturing daily practice that is accessible to everyone ~ wherever you are and in whatever mood you find yourself.
If you’d like to give it a try, a gratitude journal is a great place to start. You can use a notebook, a journal or try writing your gratitude reminder on your bathroom mirror each morning ~ “I am grateful for…”. Set the intention to actively look for events, people and moments in your day that being a smile to your face and that help you stay anchored to a deep appreciation for the magic, mystery and blessings of this crazy life.
Infuse your life with gratitude!
Train yourself to notice the gifts & blessings!
Shift your perspective for a more balanced & appreciative view!
Free and open to everyone!