It's easy to fixate on the problems around us, big and small. In fact, the human brain is wired for it. So, it does take some brain training to consciously steward our attention toward gratitude. Gratitude is a practice and developing the habit is life changing.
What better time of year than fall, when the days are cool and short, to (re)commit to the a practice of gratitude? Problematic origins of the thanksgiving holiday aside, there is power in dedicating a day, a season, or ideally a lifetime to focusing on what we're grateful for.
Creating a daily practice of turning our attention to what we're grateful for reduces stress and opens up new possibilities in our lives.
The key for shifting from scarcity mindset to abundance mindset lives in awareness and attuning our focus to the often overlooked qualities of our lives.
The difference between focusing on what isn't working and appreciating what is working can be felt throughout the entire body. It relaxes the nervous system clears the way for more focused thinking.
Making time to acknowledge what is going well in our lives becomes the pathway to manifesting more of our desires. Appreciation feels good and feeling good makes us a magnet for great people and opportunities.
Taking a moment to feel grateful for the warm bed you woke up in, the hot shower you got to take, the delicious meal you didn't have to question, the loving people in your life, the able body that moves you through your day... fill in the blank with an infinite list. Honoring your blessings with attention can snowball into bigger blessings.
A practice of gratitude each morning is single-handedly one of the most life-changing practices I have adopted over the last decade. The transformative effects have been far reaching in my life.
It's a simple idea, but not always easy to implement in the busy and loud age we inhabit. This is one of the reasons that I developed the Peace by Piece planner with an opening centered around gratitude.
When you slow down to feel all that you have to be grateful for, you embody a different frequency. Gratitude calms the body and eases the spirit. Take a few moments and breaths now to honor what you're feeling grateful for in this moment.
Bonus points if you pick up the phone and share it with someone. Pass on those gracious vibes and light up your corner of the world as you do.
And know, Im grateful for you.