So Alive! The Benefits of Living Gratefully
We got our first snow of the season early yesterday. After some much-needed rain, the temperature went down and the wind came up. I walked in the hour or so before dawn and appreciated the significant shift in the weather–I could feel it on my skin and against my body as a gust of wind came up. I could walk, one step at a time, with the proper winter attire. Counting many blessings in those two previous sentences. So alive in those moments. Cold, but fully alive.
Life can buffet and batter us, in little ways that wear us down over time, and in big ways that knock us over unexpectedly. Today is Thanksgiving Day in my country. Every day is a day for giving thanks and living gratefully, regardless of circumstances. People with more “stuff” don’t necessarily have more for which to be grateful. People with less “stuff” may have deeper appreciation for all of it and take better care of it. It’s all in our perspective.
Living gratefully is a mindset and practice that meets us each where we are at on any given day. It buffers and protects us. The list of benefits is long and touches all realms of wellness. I sleep better and worry less. I have more positive emotions and fewer negative ones. My mind is clearer and flows more creatively. Connections with nature, others, myself, and a higher power all bring a sense of belonging and hope. The list goes on, and on, and amounts to good energy. No, I’m not grateful for everything that happens. Yes, I can find appreciation in any given moment, even if circumstances are challenging. As Fred Rogers would say—”look for the helpers.”
Our brains can be trained to find whatever we are looking for. If I look for where my life is lacking and not enough, I will find plenty. If I look for awe and beauty, I can find it in every moment. I find more than enough. A breath. A smile. A leaf slowly floating to the ground. The smells of good food being prepared.
Count blessings, not calories. Happy day of giving thanks. And just as importantly-happy day of receiving thanks. Even from unlikely sources like a brisk wind. So alive!
