The Practice of Gratitude
The holidays can be loaded for many…whether you are alone or wishing you were alone…grieving the loss of a loved one…struggling with addictive patterns that surface during this time of the year…it is a many layered end-of-the-year.
This year feels especially so given the extreme division amongst humans…families and communities coming apart at the seams and needing to renegotiate relationships and create new agreements. Even those who are normally the strong, hopeful, bringers of the joy, love, and cheer, are just not feeling the spirit this year.
That’s OK.
I am never a believer in pretending or bypassing our human experiences and this moment in time is no different.
Feel what you need to feel. Be how you need to be. Honor where you are on your journey.
And…sometimes we must dig deep in ourselves to keep showing up when every ounce of our being is screaming otherwise. To cultivate the practice and attitude of appreciation and gratitude for life with all of its twists and turns.
This is not an invitation for falsely choosing gratitude or to put any “shoulds” on ourselves.
Rather, this is an opportunity to find moments of feeling gratitude…the simple, more subtle moments of genuine appreciation and gratitude. The smell of your partners hair (that could be good or not so good!), the laugh of your child, the sunshine on your face, the fresh air that you breathe, a connected conversation, the ability to take a deep breath, a healthy-ish body, good food….
In relation to the holidays…perhaps appreciating the solitude or the chaos or the overconsumption. To approach this time from a place of curiosity and perspective.
There are always going to be ups and downs in our lives yet learning how to ride the waves while staying connected to our bodies, our hearts, ourselves, and each other…is so very important.
This is, by no means, minimizing the impact of various events on our lives, yet is offering perspective and the landing pad to become more aligned and impactful humans.
As we set sail on this holiday time, I wish for us all to pause and reflect.
To open and soften.
To access some perspective and possibility.
To appreciate and soak up moments.
To infuse the practice of gratitude into this time, no matter where you are in your life and with whom.
To carve out those moments of deep presence with your process of life and all of the many flavors.
Sending love near and far and many blessings for a nourishing and connected holiday!
Take good care of yourselves and be kind to each other.