Your Written Invitation
Sometimes things just aren’t going our way. Whether tremendous loss (our quote today is from Anne Frank’s diary) or the smallest of inconveniences (like having to turn around and drive back 45 minutes in the wrong direction because I forgot something earlier) it can be hard to find gratitude. When that happens I can find myself fighting my reality instead of accepting. As I drove back to retrieve my forgotten item I put myself down for forgetting, I grumbled to myself about all the lost time, I complained that I was too tired to drive another hour and a half. I felt stuck in a cycle of negativity. Then I asked myself, “What am I waiting for?”. To that my inner sarcastic child chided, “A written invitation?”.
Well here it is your reminder and yes, your written invitation to live, laugh, love … and no matter what … find gratitude.
Save your invitation. Print it. Email it to yourself. Whatever it takes to remind yourself that you are always invited to find the good. Because no matter what it is there for the finding.
[su_quote cite=”Anne Frank”]Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.[/su_quote]
This Week’s Gratitude Question
[su_button url=”http://www.ourgratitudecollective.com/activity/” background=”#178fb3″]What are you grateful for even though things aren’t going your way?[/su_button]
My Gratitude Experience Last Week
Every once in a while I feel guilty for the gratitude I share when I hear of the tragedies in the world or even in the lives of my friends and it makes my silly gratitude feel like a speck of glitter stuck in a pile of shit. Last week I had more than one person who is mourning a loss in their life express their appreciation for my gratitude and it gave me the confidence to keep on dropping my daily specks of glitter.
Forgotten Gratitude
Last week I was also grateful for Lita running around chomping at the last of the snow, chomp chomp chomp … Best Buy accepting old tvs for recycling and the guy at Goodwill who pointed us in the right direction … Watching a couple of hawks hanging out in a tree.
A New eCard
Image by Antonia Montoya
The Gratitude I Shared Last Week
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| Sun | 3/8/2015 | I’m grateful for clocks that automatically adjust to the time change … I’m grateful I woke up before my alarm … I’m grateful for organizing a space that repeatedly annoyed me and stressed me out … I’m grateful to come home to gardening in process even though I wasn’t feeling it myself I’m so appreciative it’s being done … I came home starving and was motivated to cook a big dinner at lunch time, feeling grateful for nutritious meals and energy and desire to cook. |
| Sat | 3/7/2015 | I’m grateful for having four interesting, smart, talented, beautiful sisters to share my life with … A great walk, sharing, listening, taking in nature and the beauty of the valley … A phone call to connect and listen and understand and say I Love You … Our new tv and technology that eliminates a few energy-sucking components and no more giant crt … An intense, vivid dream that helped me pause and reflect. |
| Fri | 3/6/2015 | I’m grateful for being on the same schedule and having lunch together … A delicious Filipino dinner and coffee afterward … Getting work accomplished that I feel good about … A cuddly robe hug and soft skin touch. |
| Thu | 3/5/2015 | I’m grateful for time alone when I was getting grumpy … A bunch of possibilities … Choosing a healthy breakfast … Her pain gone. |
| Wed | 3/4/2015 | I am grateful for the gift of knowing my body and recognizing patterns and being able to adapt to the changes by body has needed … I’m grateful for having insight, speaking my mind and being heard … I’m grateful for a so silly and catchy impromptu song made up together. |
| Tue | 3/3/2015 | I’m grateful for a warm cocoon of blankets … Her pain slipping away … A wealth of books, paper and electronic, available to read. |
| Mon | 3/2/2015 | I’m grateful for Nicole cooking dinner for us … Eye drops for my dry eyes … Paying bills on time … A productive afternoon and writing that not only is a gift to others but also helps me. |
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My gratitude journey started in May 2011 and continues to this day. Thank you for being a part of it!
A daily gratitude practice is simple. Write down three things you are grateful for each day. Download your free GratitudeGuide.
My clients focus on gratitude and learn from their successes to make the positive changes they want in their lives. You can to. Call me to set up our first meeting 505.333.9336.
Created by Antonia Montoya[/su_note]