the art of … thirty days.
It’s November- for many autumn is a disheartening time, the sun does not warm us as much as in July, it’s riddled with work that needs to happen, winterizing our homes, the holidays are approaching quickly…. it’s the ramp up for another part of the endless hamster wheel.
I don’t really feel the above sentiment- I actually come alive in “sweater weather”, trees blooming rich color, the crisp in the air with the sweet smell of apples on the counter and soup simmering on the stove. I don’t love the heat, but I do love crisp chill, not cold – but a little chilly, my husband teases me that it is because I have my own internal furnace. For autumn, like so many things, I am grateful.
I know, I know, it’s a constant theme for me to share with you about gratitude. (my mother would be so proud) But here’s the thing, we cannot just randomly be grateful, it should be a clear and conscious decision, just like brushing your teeth. It should be an act daily.
Gratitude gives perspective; it reminds us what we have instead of what we wish for. Gratitude toward another human is an inspiring gesture to confirm in them that they are doing the right thing, and you are showing them what a gift they are. Gratitude opens the door on a dark room when everything feels hopeless. Suddenly we have the tools to realize how much we have and perhaps things seem less ominous.
It is said that it takes less than two weeks to create a habit- here’s my challenge to you. November is typically a month we dedicate to gratitude. We have a national holiday that honors that simple act. Even though we are already one week into November- there are thirty opportunities to be grateful this month. You still have twenty-four left. I dare you to go ahead and fill up the remaining days with your gratitude. Find at least one reason each day for the next twenty-four days to be grateful. Maybe it’s a person, or your home, or your job. Clearly we see others who don’t have the blessings we do.
Create a habit of gratitude. See what happens.Write it down, post it on the refrigerator, mention it at dinner to your family, journal it- somehow record what you are grateful for. Be bold, let those around you know you are grateful for them- it will do you both good.
So please, accept my challenge. I will check in with you on the thirtieth, I would love to hear what your experiences have been. Will it really change anything? You tell me.
In peace, and gratitude
Susan