Inviting Freedom

“When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in.” ~Kristen Armstrong

The beautiful thing about gratitude is that it has a natural essence of freedom about it. When you or I express authentic thankfulness to someone, we don’t expect anything in return. We simply want to communicate to that person that their words, actions, or presence is important to us. Their impact has made us feel loved, and by expressing that to them, we hope they feel loved and valued as well. It’s hard to feel disappointed when we focus on uplifting others in gratitude without anticipating it will be returned.

However, at times we may subconsciously expect warm words of appreciation in return, and these expectations are not always met. To be completely real with you, sometimes on the days I share the most “thank-you’s” with others, I feel the most isolated inside if the sentiment isn’t reciprocated. It’s as if there are strings attached to my feelings of gratitude. But we know this isn’t a reflection of what an authentic spirit of thankfulness looks like. When we remove the expectation of being recognized, our words of love are inspired by the freedom to unconditionally tell others how much they mean to us. This is truly what moves the tide of love to rush into our places of living and learning.

Day #10: Share at least one thing you’re thankful for about your job.

Saturday, November 11: Day #11: Share one thing about YOU you’re thankful for.

Sunday, November 12: Day #12: Reflect on a memory you’re thankful for.