A Life of Thanks-Living

This week many of us will gather with family and friends to celebrate the abundance in our lives. It is a time to slow down, think about what we are grateful for, feel our gratitude and experience its heart-warming impact.

For families facing the pain of disconnection, divorce, illness, poverty, incarceration or death, it can be a challenge to think, feel and experience thanks-giving. And while challenging, I know it’s not impossible because I’ve sat with many people living with these issues who are amazingly grateful for much in their life.

In fact, when I’ve come face-to-face with such pain, I’ve found healing and solace in focusing on the good that still abounded. I’ve learned that….

Gratitude makes it possible to move beyond the pain. 

Thanks-giving is so  powerful it makes me wonder how our lives would be transformed if we chose to live in a state of gratitude all of the time.  If we focused more attention on what we have than on what is lacking; if we could hold onto the sense of fullness that thankfulness brings. The implications would reach every aspect of our lives.

What if, instead of a day of Thanks-Giving, we had a life of Thanks-Living?

Perhaps nowhere is an attitude of gratitude more powerful than in our relationships.  I know how my life has changed as I’ve learned to live with less expectation and more appreciation of others.  The very nature of our relationships is shaped by our ability to be mindful and appreciative of each other.  There is a tendency to take those who are closest to us for granted; especially with things that are part of our routine, day in and day out.

How often do we thank the person who makes the morning coffee, routinely feeds the cat; takes the trash to the end of the driveway; changes the oil; goes to the grocery store; pays the bills; folds the laundry; mows the lawn or remembers to send the birthday cards?  Sadly enough, it often takes a close call or losing someone we love to focus our attention on the daily events that create richness in life.  What a simple thing it is to notice and be thankful for everyday gifts—and what a difference it makes.

This Thanksgiving, you can choose to stretch your day of gratitude into the next day, and the next – into a life of Thanks-Living.  It starts with cultivating a mindset of abundance rather than lack by regularly focusing on the things we are grateful for; perhaps even writing them down in a gratitude journal.  We can develop greater awareness of the daily gifts we receive from others and learn to express our appreciation easily.  All it takes is a willingness to practice.  Why not begin today?

An Appreciation Exercise: You can take an appreciation break anytime.  For one minute, just breathe a little more deeply than normal. Gently focus on your heart area. As you breathe, hold a sincere feeling of appreciation in your heart area – for a family member, friend, special place or even a pet you love.  Experience the feeling as fully as you can and notice the shift in your mindset, your emotions and your body state.  Repeat regularly.