As the year comes to a close and we begin 2019, what are your thoughts for the coming year? Are you thinking about starting the year off with some resolutions? If so, you are definitely not alone! January is the time when many of us declare our goals to eat better, lose weight, exercise more, meditate every day…the list goes on and on. I truly believe in making a change for the better but I often wonder if resolutions are secretly telling our brains that we are somehow broken? That we need to “fix” ourselves? When we focus only on what we think is wrong with us, we miss out on acknowledging and accepting all that is really great about who we already are.
So before you head into the new year, I invite you to look back at 2018 with your eyes wide open and ask yourself these questions. What are all the things that worked well in my life? What brought me joy? What do I want more of? What do I want less of? (a little less stress perhaps!) What were my wins both personally and professionally? What was a challenge? What am I grateful for? If I could do things differently, what would that look like?
This exercise in self exploration is a way of clearing the decks and opening up space for even more goodness to come into your life. It allows you to take notice of all the blessings and to say “thank you.” Eckhart Tolle has a famous quote that I love….”If the only words we ever say are thank you, that will be enough.” Pretty awesome isn’t it??
Being grateful can boost your life in so many ways. Studies have shown that you will have better sleep, more harmonious relationships, increased generosity and the best one of all…..happiness. Counting your blessings does not have to take a lot of time or effort. It simply means slowing down and noticing what is all around you. The roof over your head, the car in your garage, the checker at the grocery store, the person on the other end of the phone, the trees, the sun, the animals, your amazing body which supports you in everything that you do. All of these things deserve a great big thank you!
But how often do we take the time to give thanks? If this is something you struggle with I have a suggestion. Everyday take a moment to write down one thing that you are grateful for. One thing…that’s it. Put the slip of paper in a jar and collect them over the next year. At the end of the year, you can take a look back at all that you have written. I guarantee you will be amazed!
So you see, gratitude can be found in the simplest of things. Gratitude is being grateful for ALL that we have in our lives. When we make a conscious effort to let the many blessings be our focus, we begin to see the light more than the darkness. We no longer feel the need to “fix” ourselves because we can see that we are already pretty great just as we are.
Wishing you a happy, healthy, grateful new year!
Many blessings,
Denise
