Gratitude
Gratitude has been the theme this week at Thrive.
It has come up multiple times over the past week or so, and I know when the same thing comes up repeatedly - I should pay attention.
The first instance came last week when a dear friend told me about a gratitude exercise that helped her through a difficult time. The exercise is to go through the alphabet, finding something to be grateful for for each letter.
The thing about gratitude exercises is that they are especially meaningful when they are performed when we are not feeling particularly grateful or blessed.
It wasn't long before I had an opportunity to put the exercise in to practice.
One day last weekend I was hot, sticky, grouchy, and fed up. My son had asked me yet again to push him on the swing for one of his marathon swinging sessions.
I did not want to push the swing in the hot sun. I wanted to lay in the hammock. But, alas, parenthood.
I digress.
With each push of the swing - I went through the alphabet.
Advil (I had a headache)
Buffett (as in Jimmy)
Chocolate
Dogs
...
Some letters were more difficult than others, but in the end I very quickly found twenty six things to be grateful for.
I was humbled.
That's the thing about a gratitude practice - it is so very humbling.
We have so much - all we need to do is look for it.
Next up came an amazing meditation practice that just so happened to be gratitude based.
A flurry of gratitude based discussions erupted.
Then a birthday came along with an abundance of kind words, and acts of generosity and love.
The gratitude was profound, and humbling. Oh, so humbling.
Sometimes we don't need to look for gratitude - it washes over and through us.
Gratitude is what turns "not enough" into "more than enough."
Turns chores into acts of caring for our loved ones.
Turns obligations into acts of the heart.
Turns this moment that we are rushing through into the moment that we have been waiting for.
We are grateful for each and every one of you.
Thank you.
It has come up multiple times over the past week or so, and I know when the same thing comes up repeatedly - I should pay attention.
The first instance came last week when a dear friend told me about a gratitude exercise that helped her through a difficult time. The exercise is to go through the alphabet, finding something to be grateful for for each letter.
The thing about gratitude exercises is that they are especially meaningful when they are performed when we are not feeling particularly grateful or blessed.
It wasn't long before I had an opportunity to put the exercise in to practice.
One day last weekend I was hot, sticky, grouchy, and fed up. My son had asked me yet again to push him on the swing for one of his marathon swinging sessions.
I did not want to push the swing in the hot sun. I wanted to lay in the hammock. But, alas, parenthood.
I digress.
With each push of the swing - I went through the alphabet.
Advil (I had a headache)
Buffett (as in Jimmy)
Chocolate
Dogs
...
Some letters were more difficult than others, but in the end I very quickly found twenty six things to be grateful for.
I was humbled.
That's the thing about a gratitude practice - it is so very humbling.
We have so much - all we need to do is look for it.
Next up came an amazing meditation practice that just so happened to be gratitude based.
A flurry of gratitude based discussions erupted.
Then a birthday came along with an abundance of kind words, and acts of generosity and love.
The gratitude was profound, and humbling. Oh, so humbling.
Sometimes we don't need to look for gratitude - it washes over and through us.
Gratitude is what turns "not enough" into "more than enough."
Turns chores into acts of caring for our loved ones.
Turns obligations into acts of the heart.
Turns this moment that we are rushing through into the moment that we have been waiting for.
We are grateful for each and every one of you.
Thank you.
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