Gracious Gratitude

"True forgiveness is when you can say, 'Thank you for the experience.'" ~ Oprah

We are on Day 7 of our season of inviting gratitude. 

• How has this focus felt for you so far?

• Are you becoming more aware of people, things, or experiences that spark a feeling of thankfulness?

• Is intentional gratitude something that feels normal and a part of the way you process life?

To be completely real with you, there are times when I begin my day with gratitude and set a lovely intention. Then five minutes later, something happens that pivots my entire outlook on the day and I immediately become frustrated. I start to complain and invite myself to a pity party. At the end of it all, I feel guilty because I had just thought of what I’m thankful for and made a plan for a positive day. It may seem like a small issue to have, but in a way, it makes me feel like a self-failure. 

I have grown in the understanding that we need to be gracious with our gratitude. It isn’t about always putting on an artificial smile or making sure we write five new blessings every day. It’s about being in the moment, aware of who and what we have been blessed with. Life brings challenges and setbacks - big and small. Sometimes we find that the largest amounts of gratitude come from the most intense difficulties. But we are invited to be gracious with ourselves when at times we may not feel thankful or have the energy to try. Perhaps it’s as simple as pausing to take a deep breath and exhaling the appreciation of oxygen.

Day #7: Reflect on a difficult situation you’ve experienced and something that came out of it that you are now thankful for.