Gratitude Need Not Blind You from Reality
Fact: This morning as I used the bathroom I stepped in something wet.
Fact: It was dog pee.
Fact: I was not fucking happy about this.
Fact: I was grateful for having a washing machine to be able to take care of the problem.
Gratitude is not just seeing the positive. It is about seeing life straight on, eyes wide open, all of the facts. It is also about where we choose to let our attention focus. In this morning’s scenario I could have dragged Surplus (the dog who pees inside when it’s cold outside) over and rubbed his nose in it. I could have been judgmental towards myself for not putting the rug up so he couldn’t pee on it. I could have let all the pissy facts ruminate in my mind and ruin my morning or my entire day. Instead I just walked it over to the washing machine and mentally expressed gratitude for having a washing machine in our home.
Where do you choose to let your attention linger? Are you staring at your beauty or your blemish? Today choose to see everything but linger on what you appreciate.
[su_quote cite=”C. Joybell C.”]There is a magnificent, beautiful, wonderful painting in front of you! It is intricate, detailed, a painstaking labor of devotion and love! The colors are like no other, they swim and leap, they trickle and embellish! And yet you choose to fixate your eyes on the small fly which has landed on it! Why do you do such a thing?[/su_quote]
This Week’s Gratitude Question
[su_button url=”http://www.ourgratitudecollective.com/activity/” background=”#178fb3″]What fact are you grateful for?[/su_button]
My Gratitude Experience Last Week
Just after acknowledging and celebrating over 1600 days of consecutive gratitude I fell asleep last night without practicing gratitude. To be completely transparent this has happened before and each time I wake up in the middle of the night with a gasp at the knowledge that I forgot my habit. But in the past it was because I dozed off before I posted. But last night I got up, set my alarm, plugged in my phone, turned out the lights and deliberately went to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night and knew that I forgot to post … So I posted it then. How funny that even though this habit is so ingrained there are still times when I can forget.
Forgotten Gratitude
Last week I was also grateful for washing off my makeup and feeling even more beautiful with a bare face … So many visible stars even though the moon shone bright … The Eden tree in my front yard starting to change color.
A New eCard
Image by Antonia Montoya
The Gratitude I Shared Last Week
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| Sun | 10/25/2015 | I’m grateful for reading, snuggled up with the dogs while lovely music emerged from the record player in the next room … The perfect reminder in the most obvious way, no reading between the lines here … My growling stomach waking me up and in the quiet of early morning remembering to share my gratitude. |
| Sat | 10/24/2015 | I love my friends and adorable baby love … I love performing and playing music … I love the support of my girlfriend, like a rock … I love playing dress up … I love dancing … I love making delicious food, today I made a very tasty salad with kale and tomatoes from the garden … I love my car and glad it’s back up and running thanks to a mobile mechanic. |
| Fri | 10/23/2015 | What a powerful beautiful day … Powerful women’s voices … Spending a full day outdoors soaking in the beauty of fall … Bring warned when a big fuzzy spider was crawling on me, twice … Walking through the alfalfa field with the fuzzy caterpillar and pushing her in her chariot … The gift of sharing my passion with others … Confronting my power leaks, I need to still explore that concept but already I feel the intense power of this, once I have more awareness around it I think it will be just the key I need … Finding my Sacred Money Archetype twin. |
| Thu | 10/22/2015 | Last night’s gratitude disappeared! What a nice opportunity to reflect on yesterday with the distance of 24 hours. Yesterday I was grateful for beautiful artwork, it is such a blessing to have the depth and beauty that Rocky creates too warm up our home and also it is centered around an adorable chubby bird … I’m grateful for being welcomed to learn more about belief and ritual and where people turn when they are in need … I’m grateful for my printer cooperating. |
| Wed | 10/21/2015 | I’m grateful for solving the favicon 8-bit puzzle … Fun times with Alma and Emilio, together, and Nicole home early from work … Being able to close off and delve in … Learning her name, Illiana Garcia, may you rest in peace. |
| Tue | 10/20/2015 | I’m so sad about the four year old girl who was killed earlier this evening it is devastating and unfathomable. I am so grateful that all the little ones in my life are home safe and sound and I’m grateful I was able to play and sing the cathartic song I wrote inspired by grief … I’m grateful for raspberry cobbler, an impromptu baking adventure and a lovely dreary day full of rain and hail. |
| Mon | 10/19/2015 | I just read @beckie-evans gratitude and it reminded me how grateful I am for lists too, they save my ass, keep me on track and help relieve my worry … I’m grateful for getting more comfortable with being in front of the camera … A delicious pot of beans … Resting my irritated, tired eyes. |
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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]