On January 1, 2016, while sitting on the couch in the lobby of a hotel in Red Bank, NJ, I was thinking about 2015 and the changes I wanted to make...needed to make in 2016...to have a mentally happy 2016. These were not resolutions, they were just mental lifestyle changes. I thought about kindness, gratitude, not wishing time away and telling people in your life how you feel.
Let's talk about gratitude. I attended two Radiance Retreats hosted by Jen Sinkler, Jill Coleman and Neghar Fanooni. One was in Ashville, NC and the other in Venice Beach, CA. At the Retreat, one of the things they talked about was how they had changed by living a life filled with gratitude. Neghar spoke of specific example of how it changed her life and how she kept a Gratitude Journal.
Neghar offers great insight on this topic. Check it out here:
http://www.negharfonooni.com/2016/01/26/gratitude-can-suck-it/
As Neghar says, "Gratitude is a mother effing game changer." She nails it in this article.
I have to tell you. At first I thought of this as earthy crunch, trying to be too hip, trendy, too metaphysical, and just plan too much. I learned a lot about physical health and growing a business at the Radiance Retreats but I put aside that gratitude stuff because I thought it wasn't for me.
During the past two years, I started there was some value in expressing, thinking about, and writing a daily journey filled with things for which you feel grateful. At first I thought this isn't so bad. It does make you feel good. It also helps you feel centered when "things" become too difficult. As time went on, however, I forgot about my gratitude journal. It has been months and months since I've written down anything in that dang journal.
A few weeks ago, when I was arguing with myself over something, I stopped to think about what I was grateful for in my live and there were many. I felt good and relaxed and the arguing stopped. I thought to myself I can keep a mental gratitude journal. Before we go too far with that, let me just say, that didn't work.
So...I started searching in my office for the Journal. Let's just say it could not be found. Well, at least it hasn't been found yet. I guess there is still hope.
Yesterday, I had many things to be grateful for and since I don't have a journal going yet I am expressing them here.
I don't write about the boy that often. He is not on social media and he is very private. Yesterday, I had a couple things I needed help with. Don't ask but my check oil light went on and I didn't want to drive the car. Without question and without hesitation, he brought me oil so that I could drive to SOS for my training session. (Seems I didn't make it because something else went wrong with the car as I was driving to Chelmsford.)
I am so very grateful that he is always willing to help when needed.
The political conversation is wearing me down during this run for President. I am seeing very little kindess and very little thoughtful discussion. I am glad to have changed my mindset and can now focus on kindness and gratitude.
If you want to learn more about the practice of gratitude, check out Lyceum Live's upcoming event here:
https://www.facebook.com/events/1094687887249225/
