A Season for Gratitude

I always appreciate the Holiday Season starting with Thanksgiving. It puts me in a frame of mind to be more reflective of all that I am grateful for. True gratitude also creates a stable foundation within you. Then when life throws you a curve, it doesn't knock you so far off.

I remember one holiday, when my husband had been out of work for over a year, and my son was very sick. My heart was so full of fear that year that it took more effort to move the fear aside and find gratitude, but I did. I looked at our lives and gave gratitude for the home we had to sleep in, and thick blankets to keep us warm. I gave thanks that the rest of our family was well, and that I could lean on them for support. I felt appreciation for my arms, that I could hug and hold close the people I loved. Yes, it was a more difficult year, but as a result I found a firmer foundation to stand upon.

Gratitude is a rapid way to lower your stress and uplift your energy. It puts you in an empowered place where you are the creator of your life. If your life seems difficult this year, then focus on basic things: like being grateful for the friends that make you smile; a sweater on a chilly day; rain that helps flowers bloom; or for the sun smiling on your face. Daily gratitude for the basics makes you more grounded, and sets a tone inside of you for inner peace.

Reminders are a helpful way to stay grateful all year. You can keep a notebook or journal by your bed and write down a few things that you're grateful for before retiring - what a soft & warm way to fade into dreamland! Sticky notes around the house work well too, such as 'Thank you, I know anything is possible with God'. The next time you're in a hurry and the grocery line is too slow: stop, take a breath and say 'thank you for reminding me that there is plenty of time - even when I cannot see it'. Get creative with ideas such as surrounding your home with pictures of the ones you love. When you're feeling negative, look at them and think a few words of appreciation - then witness the shift within you.

This season, as we focus on being grateful, I invite you to be more aware, and to be more thankful of your experiences - big or small. The 'habit' of appreciating will produce positive changes in your life. As we express gratitude, we fill our hearts and bodies with love - this creates more abundance, more harmony in our relationships, and especially a core sense of well being.