Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude
November is the 11th month and holds the energy of the sacred warrior. It acts as a mirror to remind us that the real battles we face are with ourselves. During the colder months we follow the cycles of nature and go within. We are encouraged to become introspective as we focus and realign our intentions and cultivate inner strength and rest for the next phase of our lives.
Cultivating an attitude of gratitude is necessary in our healing and spiritual journey. When we look at the world around us, it may seem difficult or downright impossible at times to find things to be grateful for. But, this is preciously the time we NEED to be practicing gratitude the most because it will shift our attitude, which shifts our perception of the world around us. In other words, if you want to see the beauty in the world around you, start by viewing through the lens of gratitude.
At the beginning of each month, I like to come to my sacred space and meditate on my intentions and goals for the month, as well as look at what I want to release or carry over from the previous month. It’s so important to be mindful in where our energy goes and to lead with actions that bring us closer to our life purpose, happiness, joy, peace etc vs. further away from it. The good news is, we do direct where our energy goes and the quality of our thoughts!
I invite you this month to dedicate to a gratitude practice. Each morning before you get out of bed, think about three things you are grateful for, and at night before falling asleep, ponder three things you are grateful for from the day. If you already practice this, I encourage you to take it a step further and when something “bad” or inconvenient happens, find the gratitude in the moment. For example, someone cuts you off while driving, your physiological response is an innate one, your body tenses up, vision becomes focused, digestion stops (you might even feel it in your gut), etc. Your body is entering fight or flight mode and we are so grateful for this response as it keeps us safe, but we don’t want it to continue into our mental and emotional body for too long. So we give thanks to our physiological body, we give thanks for our quick responses to avoid an accident, and we find gratitude in the brakes of our car. We also practice forgiveness and compassion for the other driver.
I am guilty of shooting off a quick swear or two in moments like these, but I quickly bring myself back to center; I remind myself this person could have just received the worst news of their life, they could be running late to an important meeting, or they could just have to go to the bathroom REALLY bad!
I find gratitude in the moment because I know how it feels to experience all those things. I know I have cut people off on accident and felt bad about it. Remember, no one enjoys being angry, stressed, sacred or upset. I practice gratitude that in that moment that I am the one who is calm, I am at peace, I know this state is a desired one, and we all experience the ups and downs of life. I also have hope and faith that the next time I am on the opposing end and make a mistake, the other person will be gracious with me as well.
I invite you to start a Gratitude Challenge today. Find something in each day (or moment) you are grateful for. Start and end each day with an Attitude of Gratitude and see how your lens of perception changes and the beauty, peace and calm you find in the world around you.
As always, I would love to hear your experience. You can share it with me here!
With a grateful heart,
Amanda
