An Attitude of Gratitude- What are you taking for granted today?
This morning I trotted down the stairs, out the door of my boyfriend's studio to make the 4 block trek back to my apartment. I stopped on the corner of 9th and Washington and looked directly behind me as the dogs peed. What I saw was Ocean Drive, and the short path to the beach. Staring for a minute I quickly recalled my own voice saying, "If I lived near the beach I'd go every day, just to sit there, look at the ocean and enjoy it."
Well, now I live 5 blocks from the beach and I do not go every day. I go weekly, at least, but not daily. And that's not a big deal but it reminds me, as humans we always tend to take for granted that which we have, which is disposable or near to us.
-Just last year I was swimming in the ocean in November! I was still so excited to be living here, so close to the beach that the cold water didn't faze me, I was child-like in the water. This winter I have not swam in the ocean once because it's "too cold." -And it was colder last year!
I could say the same thing about my car- when I bought it in 2005 I said, "I'm not even going to eat in this car! I'm going to wash it every week, keep it spotless!"
Now my car is a mess on the inside (granted I stay very on top of its mechanical maintenance). -A couple of months ago I dropped a peanut butter covered apple slice on the clutch, getting peanut butter everywhere, and rather than cleaning it up I let it break down over time into crumbles until it eventually evaporated- it became an f-ing science project!
I'm not giving this example to gross you out but to challenge you to recall some of the things you've said or felt or done when something or someone was new in your life, and how you treat, talk or feel about that something or someone now... some time later.
We must question, has this thing or person lost value over time or have we lost the ability to see its value? -Does her health have more value to her since she was diagnosed with diabetes, or does she just value it more? -Does his wife seem prettier to him since she's now leaving or had he been blind to her beauty for some time?
Hopefully I've made it clear- we must all work on having an attitude of gratitude for everything we have!
Here's an exercise to put that into practice: Close your eyes for a second and know that your soul is out in the universe floating around somewhere- you are part of infinity. Suddenly that soul- you- are propelled into this body, your body (with a jolt and all if you like). You open your eyes, look around and say, "So this is my life?" -Look around you, as if seeing everything for the first time. Look at the food you get to eat, your home, the amazing trees and plants and birds, your family who loves you without judgment (if you have one), your partner (if you have one)- everything. You should be amazed with your life. Your life is amazing, no matter how little or how much you have.
When I do this exercise, acting as if I was just born into this body, it always makes me feel grateful, hopeful and is surreal if I'm really focused. -And as for the things I look at in my life that I don't like (just born into my new body), I simply say, "Hmm, we're going to need to change that..." then I try to figure out how to change it (which is a whole nother' issue!)
To conclude, as I arrived home this morning, filled with gratitude for the incredible sunny day, it began to rain, ever so slightly, as if the Universe was reminding me, "Be grateful for every little thing; enjoy every little thing in the moment, because in a moment it can be gone..."
Well, now I live 5 blocks from the beach and I do not go every day. I go weekly, at least, but not daily. And that's not a big deal but it reminds me, as humans we always tend to take for granted that which we have, which is disposable or near to us.
-Just last year I was swimming in the ocean in November! I was still so excited to be living here, so close to the beach that the cold water didn't faze me, I was child-like in the water. This winter I have not swam in the ocean once because it's "too cold." -And it was colder last year!
I could say the same thing about my car- when I bought it in 2005 I said, "I'm not even going to eat in this car! I'm going to wash it every week, keep it spotless!"
Now my car is a mess on the inside (granted I stay very on top of its mechanical maintenance). -A couple of months ago I dropped a peanut butter covered apple slice on the clutch, getting peanut butter everywhere, and rather than cleaning it up I let it break down over time into crumbles until it eventually evaporated- it became an f-ing science project!
I'm not giving this example to gross you out but to challenge you to recall some of the things you've said or felt or done when something or someone was new in your life, and how you treat, talk or feel about that something or someone now... some time later.
We must question, has this thing or person lost value over time or have we lost the ability to see its value? -Does her health have more value to her since she was diagnosed with diabetes, or does she just value it more? -Does his wife seem prettier to him since she's now leaving or had he been blind to her beauty for some time?
Hopefully I've made it clear- we must all work on having an attitude of gratitude for everything we have!
Here's an exercise to put that into practice: Close your eyes for a second and know that your soul is out in the universe floating around somewhere- you are part of infinity. Suddenly that soul- you- are propelled into this body, your body (with a jolt and all if you like). You open your eyes, look around and say, "So this is my life?" -Look around you, as if seeing everything for the first time. Look at the food you get to eat, your home, the amazing trees and plants and birds, your family who loves you without judgment (if you have one), your partner (if you have one)- everything. You should be amazed with your life. Your life is amazing, no matter how little or how much you have.
When I do this exercise, acting as if I was just born into this body, it always makes me feel grateful, hopeful and is surreal if I'm really focused. -And as for the things I look at in my life that I don't like (just born into my new body), I simply say, "Hmm, we're going to need to change that..." then I try to figure out how to change it (which is a whole nother' issue!)
To conclude, as I arrived home this morning, filled with gratitude for the incredible sunny day, it began to rain, ever so slightly, as if the Universe was reminding me, "Be grateful for every little thing; enjoy every little thing in the moment, because in a moment it can be gone..."
LOVE THIS ONE!!! And my car needs washing! ;)
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