Attitude of Gratitude – a whole month of Thanksgiving; day 30

Here it is: the 30th day of my set 30 days of gratitude! Obviously a practice of gratitude should continue for many days to come. Why? Because , as Melody Beattie puts it:

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend.”

Pretty amazing that a shift in the wording and conversation in your head, a shift in perspective, can do all that. It’s almost like magic…

Today, I am grateful for:

  1. A body as strong and healthy as mine is. Today’s yoga practice was one of those that gives you a glimpse into something more – a way of being that is peaceful, strong, flexible, balanced, full of possibility, and fully-embodied.
  2. This perfect journey – not easy, not always what I asked for or thought I wanted, but there it is anyway… when the time is right and I am listening closely and kindly, sometimes nudging, sometimes shoving, me into being the best possible version of myself.
  3. The opportunity to share my story and my lessons and the gift of seeing it land for someone else – of seeing inspiration and connection brighten their eyes and bring a softness to their face.
  4. The practice of ever deeper, kinder listening – allowing me to receive the messages and inspiration I am needing in whatever form the Universe provides. It’s so easy to blow past a kind comment from a friend, family member, acquaintance, but we can all use a little encouragement sometimes. We just need to let it in. Although the unkind words seem to stick more easily, if we listen from a good place, we find there are just as many kind ones there, asking to stick, too. Unkind words are spoken from fear and they come from ego and story. Kind words come from the Universe – they are reminders of who we truly are. I am so grateful that I hear those now.
  5. Those of you who have followed my journey through these 30 days and have occasionally let me know how much my words have meant to you in your own journey of gratitude. Thank you for caring. Thank you for sharing. Thanks for the company.

Your life is fertile ground… what will you choose to cultivate? I humbly suggest that gratitude be on that list! What are you grateful for today?

Attitude of Gratitude – a whole month of Thanksgiving; day 29

Almost done with my 30 days of gratitude challenge. I don’t think it’s changed me in the ways I thought it would… but in some ways that I wasn’t expecting… there’s still some processing I need to do here

But one thing’s for sure – practicing gratitude does lead to a deeper sense of peace and stronger connection with others and the unshakable joy that lies at the heart of me.

Today I am grateful for:

  1. Easily flowing, soulful conversations with friends.
  2. The moments when I catch myself living from my body and an authentic experience of who I am and connecting with others in that space.
  3. My silly Santa and Elf welcome sign that I hung on my front door, making me smile every time I come home and other lights, brightening up the dark, dreariness that has been the past few days.

Attitude of Gratitude – a whole month of Thanksgiving; day 28

Today I am grateful for:

  1. Getting back on my mat – teaching AND practicing. It feels awkward and new, but oh so right.
  2. The soothing sound of rain falling on my umbrella as I walked downtown today.
  3. The faces of my students as they ‘came home’ to their bodies and their mats after vacation.

Pinch me. Is this life real? Do I actually get to do this for a living? So grateful. Even the days when I don’t know where the money will come from. Even the days I’m tired and sick of saying the names of poses. Even days when I feel fear and competition. Even the days I don’t want to be anything for anyone. Even the days I don’t have my sh*t together. Always grateful.

Attitude of Gratitude- a whole month of Thanksgiving; day 26

I’m feeling a little blurry eyed from too much vegging out, so I’ll be brief. Today I am grateful for:

  1. Moderation- I have spent the last few days indulging and while there is a place for that, I seek balance more than abundance in the indulgent sense. Times like these I realize that the only abundance worth anything is the one that leaves you feeling better and feeling like  you have enough. Otherwise abundance is actually waste.
  2. My dog. I know I’ve said this before, but her love and presence is grounding to me. She teaches me about vulnerable and physically authentic connection.
  3. My routines that keep me coming back to center. Today, as I start to feel the effects of too much inactivity and laxity, I can come back to my breath/meditation and this blog, which (as much as I sometimes groan inside) has become a mood-shifter for me.