Never underestimate the power of a gratitude journal to transform you and those around you. One of the most profoundly transforming disciplines I practice in my life is keeping a gratitude journal. It has opened my heart and my eyes to grace. Over time, it's created a sense of well-being and joy that carries me above difficult circumstances instead of getting swallowed up by them. In fact, I've been doing this long enough that when life rubs hard, I know gratitude will soften the blow, diminish the anxiety response, and put me in a state of being present and mindful. Maybe you've had the idea of keeping a gratitude journal in the past. And maybe that's where it ended, with several empty journals lining shelves or stuffed in closets. That was me for many years. Until life Continue Reading
November – Breathe in and Give Thanks {Sensory Gratitude Prompts}
It's true that gratitude doesn't always come easy, even in November. Sometimes the experiences of life don't leave us feeling all that grateful. When life is hard and the edges are a bit rough, sometimes we need a little guidance finding the cozy moments. Moments where we... ~Take time to look at the world around us and notice the smallest detail of beauty ~Mindfully savor the variety of tastes in a single day ~Recall all those who add value and joy to our life ~Listen to the sounds of our day and allow our soul to be inspired ~Choose to slow down and be present in a moment of rest ~Make space for what makes us feel warm and cozy on the inside ~Remember the abundant gifts of our week and realize this is the best of all we have "If you start living for the Continue Reading
An Invitation to 30 Days of Thanks-Living
Gratitude doesn’t always come easy, and a diligent spirit of Thanks-Living is often an even greater challenge. Between the chaos of life in general and the heartache of almost 2 years of COVID, it’s difficult to feel anything but overwhelmed. Picking up the pieces and moving forward is more difficult than it's ever been. I've been reminding myself of the truth that when everything around us is falling apart, it's okay to need a little help uncovering all the good that remains. When so much of life is filled with uncertainty and turmoil, it's okay to need a shift in perspective to lift our eyes and heart toward hope. In even the direst of circumstances, hope is unearthed in the soil of gratitude. ~When we've tightened our belt and there’s just not enough money to pay the Continue Reading
How Gratitude Broke the Chains of Perfectionism {Link-Up}
To the rest of the world, I was optimistic, the glass-half-full type of person. To me and mine, I was critical, honing in on what was wrong. I didn’t try to be this way…. I just was. Regretfully so! Which made me try all the harder to STOP being like this. No matter how much effort I used, breaking free from this pattern of thought/behavior seemed impossible. Perfectionism had its grip on me and it was like a vice! As a perfectionist, I tend to ignore the 99 good things and hyper-focus on the 1 bad thing. It affected not only me but my faith. Striving, worry, comparison, and discontentment marked my inner thought life. I felt like a failure to myself and to God. It seemed like I, we, lived in a constant state of neediness from Him. I almost felt embarrassed when I approached Continue Reading