Take Yourself on a Journey to Now
On Friday I found myself racing down a deserted dirt road, a dust cloud billowing behind me, skidding on the bumps and turns as I rushed to get to our campground. The landscape was beautiful, a rare treat to see it so lush and green in the high mountain desert. I was trying to beat the sunset so we could find a camp, set up our tent and cook dinner before dark. It worked. We made it. But I was so high-strung that I missed out on being fully present for the journey. I barely even noticed that beautiful drive there and as I say, we can’t appreciate something we don’t notice.
This happens time and time again for me. I get so caught up in getting somewhere that I forget that the beauty, the growth and the living is all in the journey. I didn’t need to have a set up camp in order to relax, I could have chosen to relax at any step along the way.
I am grateful for the lessons that came from this experience. First, acceptance. There is no point in beating myself up. I accept my behavior, even the frantic energy. Actually that night I was still high-strung and anxious but at least I was being present. I found just the activity to best use that energy. Keeping the fire going with lots of poking and prodding. That brings me to the next lesson, being present. I am grateful for the reminder (again and again) to be present. In retrospect I was grateful for the drive but I didn’t slow down and fully enjoy it at the time. I can’t change the past but I can recommit to being present in the future. Or better yet, I recommit to being present now.
So let’s all do it. Take a breath. If you have any tension in your body, stretch or squeeze and then release. Take a deep breath. Look. Listen. Smell. Taste. Feel with your skin. There is gratitude to be found right here and right now. What gratitude emerged for you from this ordinary moment?
[su_quote cite=”Ralph H. Blum”]There is a calmness to a life lived in gratitude, a quiet joy.[/su_quote]
This Week’s Gratitude Question
[su_button url=”http://www.ourgratitudecollective.com/activity/” background=”#178fb3″]What are you grateful for right here right now? In what ways does that make you feel calm?[/su_button]
My Gratitude Experience Last Week
Thursday night I got so nauseous. It was one of those days that I surprised myself with my ability to find genuine gratitude despite the icky overwhelming feeling.
Forgotten Gratitude
Last week I was also grateful for spotting a lady bug; the first one I’ve seen this year … Relaxing, even out here in the woods I was having a hard time relaxing and then I went to bed early and aaaahhh relaxation came … Being vulnerable at a networking event and a table full of women receiving it with kindness and giving me encouragement … Pine needles to start a fire.
A New eCard
Image by Antonia Montoya
The Gratitude I Shared Last Week
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| Sun | 6/7/2015 | I’m grateful for baby smiles, family time and family love … Success for my lady and the resulting celebratory dinner she treated me to … Being part of something bigger than me. |
| Sat | 6/6/2015 | I’m grateful for a safe drive home culminating in a spectacular sunset … A washing machine and dryer for clean clothes and a shower for a clean me … A lovely day awakened by the birds, resting, reading, sunshine and sprinkles, laughter, serious talk, and the perfect symbol of our enduring love. |
| Fri | 3/5/2015 | So grateful for being spontaneous together; on a whim we packed up, loaded the dogs and went camping … So grateful it is so green out here; what a blessing all this rain has been … So grateful for building a great fire and plenty of wood collected … Coming home to a lovely bouquet of flowers ♥♥♥ |
| Thu | 6/4/2015 | I’m grateful for deep breaths smooth and easy … Minty clean teeth and a refreshing tingle on my tongue … Mind-numbing ridiculousness even though it made me wish my mind was numbed in other ways … Compassionate kind regard for my discomfort. |
| Wed | 6/3/2015 | Honored to have coffee this morning with a friend and colleague and discuss grief and purpose and knowing and doing what we really want … Blissfully happy to come home to a house of dogs and even happy to miss my lady as she pours herself and her time into her new job; the longing is nice sometimes … Proud that I stuck with my new first-thing-in-the-morning learning habit and excited for the possibilities that will open up thanks to this new skill. #dontsaythegword |
| Tue | 6/2/2015 | I’m so grateful for my nap earlier … Delicious red chile, thick and smooth … The big bright moon lighting up the sky … A sweet good-to-be-home kiss. Refreshing water straight from the tap. |
| Mon | 6/1/2015 | I’m grateful for a great dinner with my lovely friend, always so nice to catch up, laugh together and share in her excitement for a lifelong dream coming true … I’m grateful for being brave and vulnerable in my writing today … I’m grateful for people who love their work and get so excited about it that they light up when talking about it … I’m grateful for honesty in all its ways, even those that are difficult. |
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[su_note note_color=”#e7e7e7″ text_color=”#686767″ radius=”0″] 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 too. Call me to set up our first meeting 505.333.9336. [/su_note]