I’ve noticed that when I’m having a “bad day”, a case of the Mondays, a day where I trip on everything, bang my hip on table corners, drop my tea mug and stain my favorite shirt, lose my favorite hoodie, realize that part of the outfit I was going to wear that day is dirty and I need to rethink my whole ensemble, I seem to attract bad energy, negative vibes and generally disgruntled people. I also seem to approach my day with a negative outlook, adopting the “glass half empty mentality”. However, I’ve discovered that when I take a moment on these days where things seem a bit “off” to concentrate on all I am grateful for, my mood and energy seems to shift out of the blues to a place of happiness and contentment. It’s easy to be reactionary when you drop your green smoothie all over your new white tank top, but instead of yelling out a curse word and letting it take over your whole day, taking a second to go over a couple of things you are grateful for can shift your whole perspective. Going from “$%&^*%^^#$!$#@! What am I going to do now! I can’t believe I ruined this shirt! I’m such an idiot!” to “It’s not the end of the world. I have my family, my health, and a cute cardigan that I can button over the tank top so no one is the wiser!” can make all the difference in setting the tone for the day ahead. When we come from a place of positivity, gratitude and peace within ourselves, we attract these same feelings and states of mind around us.
Let’s be honest, though. It’s not always easy to see rainbows and sunshine all the time. So, I’ve taken up the practice of listing 5 things I am grateful for when I wake up every morning. Some days, I will list them in my meditation journal, and some days, I will simply list them in my head as I’m brushing my teeth or getting ready to leave the house. I’ve noticed that this practice sets the tone for my day, gives me an extra spring to my step, and prepares me to face the world head-on armed with an open heart, a receptive body and a smile on my face. I’ve noticed that this has helped me avoid being reactionary in negative encounters that might surface. Taking a deep breath, telling myself that the person in front of me is paving their own path today and living their own journey, and then coming back to that place of gratitude helps me stay grounded and collected. Many times, it also helps diffuse the negative encounter instead of adding to the fire! Reminding myself that I choose what to put out into the world, and in doing so I choose what will reflect back has changed my whole perspective on happiness. Choosing to live from a place of gratitude and feeling the positive energy that surrounds you when you do, is infectious.
Today’s list of things I am grateful for (in no particular order…)
- KALE
- MY HUSBAND
- MY MOBILITY
- MY MOMMIES
- MY FRIENDS
- MY JOURNEY TOWARDS HANDSTAND
What are you grateful for today?
Namaste, friends.
The Compassionate Glutton 