Gratitude is an Attitude
Gratitude is an attitude, wouldn't you agree? Lets define these two words briefly. Attitude is a way of thinking that is often expressed through behaviour. Gratitude is being kind, thankful and appreciative of what you have in your life. Seems simple right? Gratitude, or rather this attitude can be directed towards yourself and or towards the people and environment that orbit your universe.
Tis' the season to reflect and take some time exploring this word and all it means to you. This is especially on my mind and relevant with all the Thanksgiving festivities this weekend in Canada.
As you look outside and witness the trees changing colour, the leaves falling on the ground, how in the early morning there is now a layer of thin ice, taking notice of how marketing strategies have changed shifting emphasis to pumpkin spice EVERYTHING, how pumpkin patches are all the rage now flooding your Instagram feed, noticing the brisk change in temperature outside and the chill in the morning getting out of bed, illuminating or rather calling attention to all these factors indicates how change is among us.
As the seasons morph and change, so do we. We adapt to the environment around us either embracing or rejecting this inevitable seasonal change. Humans are quite remarkable that way don’t you think? Embracing the qualities of a chameleon and evolving with the change, or resisting the change with every ounce of their being.
Depending on the topic I can be pretty resistant to change. Here is an example of one of those topics, as ridiculous as it may seem I find it difficult to embrace autumn. Despite its beauty, especially in Vancouver, I know it means that winter is coming. Did anyone else think Game of Thrones upon reading that? Yep, I definitely just laughed at myself right now for typing that.
Let me try to explain a little about what I mean. Can you think back to when you were a teenager in high-school and Sunday's came along? Do you remember that feeling of dread that the impending Monday was just around the corner? I do, almost as if it was yesterday. Oh wait, it was Sunday yesterday… look I am a comedian now!
Back to my point, I will be the first to admit that I have a hard time with the impending cold of autumn and winter. I get moody, my body hurts (thank you gymnastics), my will to be outside diminishes and my soul feels dense, heavy and over all bogged down. All these sound negative eh? Well that's absolutely true and as I write this I am making mental notes so that this year I can see the light during this literal dark time. As these days get shorter I must see the beauty in the night rather than missing the day.
This week is all about being grateful and thankful for what we have. I am going to adopt this attitude of gratitude for the rest of this year. My intention is to appreciate every moment because life can be beautiful if you let it be.
It is important to take a moment to reflect on your life, these moments can reveal to you what is important and what is not. As I do this I am overwhelmed for this life I have. I can feel a bubble of bright radiance spreading through my stomach as I sit here and type. This is a result of all the beautiful souls that are in my life, this includes my family, my partner and my friendships.
Then as I expand my radius of gratitude outside of the relationships I have with people and embrace the different types of relationships I in my life. My relationship with yoga and nutrition is an example. As I continue to grow and build my business, my eagerness to learn at school shows me that gratitude is tangible within myself. My bubble of radiance is continuously growing as I reflect on my life. This shows me what is important, what I am living for, and what I am working towards.
If you allow this feeling to grow, it becomes this inner radiance. So my plan this fall is to hold on to this feeling of bright warmth. I won't empower the winter by thinking of it as a negative doom cloud, instead I choose to empower myself, infusing myself with gratitude. T
The cold and dark this winter will not be quite so invasive as I pour my energy into what gives me my own light. I choose to light myself up from the inside out to stay warm. I think that will make all the difference.
Happy Thanksgiving Folks!
