There's something to be said about the week of Thanksgiving, even the month of November and their ability to slow us down just long enough to remind us about the areas of abundance in our lives. We go whizzing through the rest of the year on a mission to do x, y, and/or z, but in all of our haste, we often take a lot of things, people, places, and experiences for granted.
I'm all about living intentionally, but it's something that take s a lot of practice to do consistently, and well. It's an area that I'm still growing in. I choose my words carefully, to ensure that I say what I actually mean. I choose my actions carefully, so as to steer clear of reacting - this one definitely takes some effort. More than anything though, I find time regularly to be thankful for what I have. It is an act of mindfulness that allows me to be grateful even in the midst of challenges, and to experience elation when things are worthy of big celebrations (not just for me but for others as well).
Our #Go52 theme of the week is Grateful.
So how do we get in the habit of being regularly mindful of our surroundings? Just like many things, it can be simplified into 3 steps:
Pause: be still and listen to the message that's being pushed into your heart
Document: keep a log of what speaks to and inspires you. This could be a running list, or something in journal form. Just get it out and down on paper.
Share: if there are people or organizations that find their way to your list, tell them. Doing so may spur something in them that keeps the cycle of gratitude churning forward.
It really is that easy to do. The most challenging part of it all is getting started. Find a way to incorporate it into a routine. Maybe this is something you do each morning before checking your phone. How great would it be to start the day with gratitude instead of frustration or anxiety? Maybe this becomes the way you close out your evening. Maybe it's something you do over the lunch hour to press the reset button and begin the day again. Whatever it is, make sure it's a good fit for you. You'll be more likely to keep it going.
Our weekly illustration is actually from a special guest. If you're interested in seeing an example of the three steps in action, check out the hashtag #24HRG. This is one man's quest to express gratitude throughout a 24 hour period. I'm not sure about you, but I think that's a pretty amazing feat. Doing anything for 24 hours straight will test your will power and mental fortitude, but when you're sharing thanks and expressing what you're grateful for, it makes it all the easier to complete. Check out the transformation that occurs from video one, through video 24. We'll make it easy for you, click here to be taken directly to the Facebook stream.
What are you grateful for? Illustrate it. Share it. Tag it. #Go52