Giving Thanks – The Art of Gratitude

GIVING THANKS – THE ART OF GRATITUDE

The art of gratitude is so powerful.

It’s been a spiritual ritual for my soul to write about all I’m thankful for on this day for the past decade. I honor Thanksgiving by giving all that I’m grateful for sincere thought and prose even.

And every year, despite the trials and tribulations I bring to this day or have dispelled in the months gone by, it seems I find myself ever more grateful.

Why Gratitude Deepens With Time

Perhaps the passing of time and being a year older has something to do with it. I very much believe this to be a part of the deeper gratitude. You just don’t give things ample thought, especially something like gratitude a good go around in your head and heart space when you’re younger. Nothing like I do now in my forties.

Also my years spent practicing mindfulness certainly help with the exercise. I think practicing present awareness day in and day out allows me to act from a space of gratitude more so on even the most ordinary of days.

It’s not only on this day that I exercise giving thanks and see it as an opportunity to bring greater awareness to all I’m thankful for. However the ritualistic thanks gives way to more depth on the page.

As the year winds down I find myself thankful for so many things, little things that I don’t give daily thanks for. And the little things I do give daily thanks for seem even more worthy of my gratitude.

Finding Gratitude in the Hard Stuff

I’m thankful for the hardships the year bestowed upon me as tools for my overall growth. We never know the strength that resides deep down inside until it’s called upon us to know. Even I, after so much trauma am always surprised at my own will and resilience to get through anything life throws at me.

If you’ve ever struggled to find that silver lining in the difficult moments, this post on finding the light through sorrowspeaks to exactly that.

And with another year down and another year up on my ticker I’m thankful for my good health, although some things did surface that had to be investigated, researched, tested and verified. Perhaps those things that surfaced were there as a gentle reminder of how much health and well being are taken for granted and deservedly need extra thanks.

I’m lucky the results of those tests had stellar options for treatment. So, yes, feeling lucky and blessed most certainly again on this day of Thanksgiving.

What I’m Actually Grateful For This Year

And while the actual tradition of Thanksgiving had nothing to do with heart centered love expanding to those around us, I use it in my way as powerfully as I can to offer up gratitude.

I give thanks for all of the people with whom I shared laughs and tears this year as it has been a topsy turvy year with no shortage of surprises even when mercury wasn’t retrograde. The planetary alignments certainly played a hand in all of the unknown and unexpected deliverables of the year.

Nevertheless let there be no shortage of thanks. Thanks for wonderful human beings I’m lucky to call mine.

Thanks for the nourishment of tasty organic, fresh baked goods along with fried turkey this year, a first for the family, although I’m no stranger to the fried bird. Carnivorous, yes, but what is Thanksgiving without the traditional bird, front and center?

The Little Things That Carry So Much Weight

Let this day be a day of rejoicing on the many treasures life offers up, big and small. Let it be a coming together of minds, hearts and souls. And let spirit have His or Her way with us, ensuring splendor, warmth and a depth of joy that we should be ever so grateful for.

A simple five minute morning meditation is one of the practices that keeps me rooted in this kind of awareness year round. When you’re present, you notice what’s actually there to be grateful for.

Ready to go deeper with yourself? My free Ultimate Self-Inquisition Guide is a signature tool I created after decades of journeying inward. It walks you through powerful contemplative questions to help you find clarity, feel more at ease, and access real gratitude from the inside out. Download the free guide here.

Making Gratitude a Daily Practice, Not Just a Holiday

Gratitude doesn’t have to wait for the last Thursday in November. The mindfulness teachers I’ve studied with, Thich Nhat Hanh among them, have long taught that a grateful heart is a practiced heart. It’s built moment by moment, in the ordinary.

Some of the most powerful ways to keep this practice alive throughout the year include journaling what you’re thankful for, spending intentional time in solitude to hear your own inner voice, and simply slowing down enough to notice what’s already good.

Practicing gratitude is also one of the most underrated ways to anchor your personal growth goals. When you lead from a place of thanks rather than lack, everything shifts.

Listen In For More on Gratitude

Be sure to listen in to this episode for more on gratitude.

Want a structured way to practice self-love and gratitude all year long? The Self-Love Workbook is a guided journal built for healing, confidence, and personal growth. Grab the Self-Love Workbook here.