Last month in Maui, we found a book called “Live in Wonder” by Eric Saperston in a local coffee shop. Led by my intuition, I picked up the book and flipped to a page, the journal prompt read: “What are you grateful for today?” Mmmm, how I love gratitude prompts. A practice so simple, yet somehow overlooked by our fast paced user-driven society. We constantly see advertisements that make us believe there is something missing within; sending subliminal messages like we need one more beauty product, one more toy, one more thing and then we will finally “be happy”. But the funny thing is, by taking a moment to breathe and bask in your being, you realize you already have everything you need. You could have every “thing” in the world but if you are focused on the things you don’t have, you will always be searching, and thus never fulfilled. However, someone with absolutely no material objects could be the richest person in the world, because their focus is on what they do have: one’s own spiritual connection, clean water, food on the table, and the loved ones who will be there when you are having a bad day. Your perspective is so powerful. This is why I find it so important to have gratitude practice.
When I wake up every morning, I sit in silence for 5 minutes. Then I open my journal to free-write or practice gratitude. Life is going to give you its fair share of ups and downs. Having a daily practice to ground yourself in your body or in the present moment, is the best way to handle anything with conscious awareness. With any practice, you need repetition. Some days will be better than others but stick with it! Your ALTRx family supports your mental health just as much as your physical health.
I leave you with this today – what are you grateful for right now? What simple pleasures that people often take for granted can you show gratitude for? To take it a step further, who can you reach out to and tell them how grateful you are to have them in your life? Without looking for anything in return, just giving your kind words for the sake of giving… This practice can transform your life and your relationships.
The ATLRx family is grateful for you and this community we are building together!
