It's the season of "Thanks Giving." And if we put aside the dark history of the holiday in the United States, most of us would agree that giving thanks is a solid practice on and off the holiday season.
As a person that struggles with the feeling and cultivation of Joy, I almost fell off of my chair when Brené Brown suggested that the way to cultivate such vulnerable feelings was to express gratitude.
In my journey through the internet, I have also found advice like "Stop apologizing, Start Thanking." Which is an invitation to thank people for the grace they extend us when we make a mistake, instead of beating ourselves up.
In 2017, at the onset of my marital separation, I decided to create my gratitude practice that felt proactive and uncomplicated enough to stay consistent about it. I wanted to share that practice with you today.
Every morning I do my morning pages, as suggested by Julia Cameron in her book "The Artist Way." And every morning, I close my pages with three specific gratitudes. If there is nothing else you take from this email, please, remember to be exact, don't settle with being grateful for the air you breathe, get granular about your life and your particular blessings.
Let's start:
Be grateful for something that happened the day before that YOU DID NOT CAUSE: When You look for how the universe conspires for you, you are more prone to find the ways the universe conspires in your favor. i.e., "I am grateful for the email I received about gratitude journaling; I had been wanting to start that practice and didn't know where to start."
Be grateful for something you did for yourself the day before: If nothing else, this prompt will move you to make "self-help" a priority. What would happen if you moved through the world, intentionally trying to help yourself? Here's an example of what that prompt might look like: "I am grateful for my decision to cancel plans last night, I needed to rest, and I advocated for myself."
Be grateful for something that hasn't happened yet but that you're manifesting: When we focus on our goals, our "Reticular Activation System" fires up, and it starts showing us opportunities to fulfill our dream when you attach gratitude to this process, you are also making sure this ride is enjoyable. Here's how you can use this prompt to start manifesting your goals: "I am grateful for the 20 people I get to support in 1:1 coaching through the winter-spring of 2022."
As you can see, even if the paragraphs are long, the sentences are simple and to the point. Would you give it a try? Let me know how it works to pay attention to the things you get to be grateful for.
P.S. If you want to get on my coaching books this winter and spring, I have developed a coaching bundle for beginners. I understand that committing to a program without knowing what to expect is not easy for some, so here's an opportunity to try coaching with me at a reduced rate. CLICK HERE to get the deets!
