Taking Gratitude to a New Level

All this month I have been playing with gratitude and asking to be on a deeper level with BEING Grateful. For empowered parents, being grateful and having an active gratitude practice will create more joy and ease in parenting and be a strong model for your children to follow. 

In my series, I have asked others to do the same. I am in awe at the ways that people find to open up and BE different as gratitude takes on an essence of showing us how we can BE more of who we BE!
Each month I host an opportunity for people to explore more and to have conscious conversations with one another.  For me, this is such a gift, as I am challenged to take my empowerment practice to a greater level. And this month was no different as we delved into Being more Grateful. 

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Not only did we openly share what we were doing to get in touch with BEing Gratitude, but we also

• acknowledged aspects of what we receive when we choose to BE grateful.
• acknowledged that there are times that we resist being grateful and the questions we can ask to begin to clear those lies and beliefs.
• explored the difference between self and being.
• discussed the blocks that keep us from having true gratitude for ourselves.
• talked about what actions can we take to make our gratitude muscle stronger with a consistent practice.

​Here are some of the ideas that surfaced from this conversation:

1. A walking meditation that focuses on gratitude- being more mindful
2. A conscious choice to look at others and the world around us through the eyes of gratitude, allowing us to fully receive from the space of gratitude
3. Being more consistent in journal writing the full gratitude experience (see an example below)
4. Being more aware of showing gratitude to others- even strangers-challenge myself daily
5. Putting forth the effort to express gratitude for self and willing to receive gratitude and expressions of acknowledgement from others as part of that practice. 

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If gratitude is an expression of love, why would we stop being and receiving gratitude? ​​

While many people have adopted using journal writing as a way of connecting to their gratitude, it can become mundane to list out your gratitude each day. Here is one idea that may invite you to expand on the gratitude journal that allows you to go deeper and receive more. It is called the TLC journal. Feel free to adapt it to your needs and focus. 

T is for thankful- writing what you are thankful for and the value it has had in your life. 

L is for learning. You can do this a couple of ways. You can explore what is something you learned today or you can continue with the item that you are grateful for and what it has taught you. What awareness did you receive from that which you are thankful for? 

C is for connection. Life and living are full of making connections. What connection did you make today, with someone or with an idea or possibility? What connection did you make from being grateful today? How did this connection contribute to your life?

There you have it. The TLC journal entry. I have found this helpful for guiding me into exploring my presence throughout the day. As things are happening throughout the day, I am beginning to apply them to one of my TLC's. This helps me be more mindful and present. 

If this isn't your thing, don't abandon a gratitude practice. Search for what would make your practice meaningful to you. You can research to find what other people have done to spark your creativity. Some simple steps to start with include committing to it, starting, letting go of judging how you are doing it, writing it down, getting into what it is creating for you and not giving up on it. 

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