I read an article in the Huffington Post at the beginning of the month on the impact of gratitude on our health. According to the article - And gratitude, it turns out, makes you happier and healthier. If you invest in a way of seeing the world that is mean and frustrated, you're going to get a world that is, well, more mean and frustrating. But if you can find any authentic reason to give thanks, anything that is going right with the world or your life, and put your attention there, then statistics say you're going to be better off.
I found this article both compelling and accurate, so I decided to take on an experiment of focusing on at least one thing a day to be grateful for and posting it on Facebook...inviting others into the conversation to share what they were grateful for. I mean anyone can find one thing a day, right. At first it was a little bit of a challenge, as I observed myself wanting to find "the right thing to be grateful for" especially since I was being public about it. And since I had publicly declared I was posting something each day, I had to create something.
Just giving my brain that task every day had it go to work to think differently, my eyes to see differently and my ears to hear differently. One day it was coffee, one day it was my family, and another, it was that Bradley Cooper had been chosen Sexiest Man Alive. Nothing was too big or to small, everything was up for grabs. What was even more fun was reading people's responses to my posts...adding what they were grateful for and better yet seeing that people had started posting what they were grateful that day on their status....inviting even more people into this conversation for gratitude.
It's so easy to get drawn into the conversation around us for "what's wrong" or for worry or concern. I've certainly been a huge culprit of that. With life being so uncertain, I slowly started going down that path of fear, worry, concern to the point that it was becoming a challenge to pull myself back. Adopting an attitude of gratitude and shifting my focus there, started to cause a shift in my energy, my moods, my thought patterns and where I put my focus and attention. I felt lighter in spite of the uncertainty.
After my yoga class, was driving down Sunset Blvd. and this profound awakening occurred as I looked up at the beautiful blue sky and palm trees in the distance. The awakening was being grateful for my life...all of it. Not only being grateful to be enjoying yet another beautiful sunny day in LA, or that I am alive in this time and this place in history, where there are fundamental shifts in humanity occurring on the planet; but grateful for the opportunities for growth and learning that the last year has presented. This last year has admittedly been challenging and humbling to say the least. As the Sonheim lyric says "Oh if life were made of moments, even now and then a bad one. But if life were only moments, then you'd never know you had one."
The biggest gift has been connection to others. I am profoundly grateful for the people in my life and am blessed to be surrounded by so much love. My parents who celebrated 45 years of marriage this year and whose love for their children is astounding. My brother Mike and sister-in-law Lauren who are a demonstration of grace and strength and miracles. My nephew Zach who, in his short time with us, opened up my family's hearts so wide with love. My niece Emma, a beautiful miracle who has given us hope and possibility.
And for my collection of friends. New friends who have come into my life over the last year and have added so much to my life here in LA and dear friends with whom our relationships have grown and deepened on new levels over the last year.
So as we move full force into the holiday season, gearing up for the turkey coma, the stuffing, the football and the Macy's parade, I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude. I celebrate, honor, love and give thanks to my life...all of it.
What are you grateful for?
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