I have so very, very much to be thankful for right now. One of those things is a gratitude practice that I carry with me all year. I have had some low times this year. At the beginning of the year, I was depressed and struggling financially. I had taken a leap of faith by creating a physical center for Circle of Light. Choosing into that life had been hard, and choosing out if it was just as hard. I am grateful for both of those choices. I had a different type of hard choice to make earlier this month. I went through a transition that was a combination of backing off my thyroid meds and experiencing the worst PMS explosion that I’ve had in years. Those two days of hell were followed by cold and allergies taking over my life for a week so. The choice I made in those circumstances was to listen to and honor my body and what it was telling me about my mental and emotional state. |
| When we’re feeling tired and miserable, it’s hard to ask these questions. It’s harder still to listen to the answer. I’m thankful that I both asked and listened. Having made it out the other side, I am feeling newly energized, committed, and uplifted. I never would have felt that way without my body signaling me to look deeper.
So I give thanks for choices. I give thanks for my body. I give thanks for the people who have supported and guided me to where I am right at this moment. And I give thanks for you, my clients, students, and supporters. Thank you for walking with me and trusting me with your beautiful souls. P.S. Special shoutout to my last Reiki class who talked me into doing Healing Circles again! Challenge of the WeekMy challenge to you is to be thankful. Not for a just a day or a month, but all year. I challenge you to develop a gratitude practice that you can take with you year round. Here are some ideas to get you started: – Make a gratitude journal. Decorate the cover with things you are grateful for and set aside time each day to write 3 to 5 things you are grateful for. – Set aside a gratitude box or basket. Whenever you notice something you are grateful for, jot it down on a piece of paper. When you have a bad day, take them out and read them. – Write thank you notes. This is a practice that has gone out of style. And it doesn’t have to be just for special occasions. Write a thank you note to your waitress, a cashier, your kids, your hairdresser. It doesn’t have to be fancy use the back of a napkin or receipt or sticky note. Do it in the moment right when you think about it. – Share with someone you love. According to John Gottman “The difference between happy and unhappy couples is the balance between positive and negative interactions during conflict. There is a very specific ratio that makes love last.That “magic ratio” is 5 to 1. This means that for every negative interaction during conflict, a stable and happy marriage has five (or more) positive interactions.” It doesn’t have to be a romantic partner. Make a point of telling or writing to someone you love about what you appreciate about them. As always, you are invited to share your experiences in the Grow with MeFacebook group! |