Gratitude Is The New ATTITUDE... And One Of The Best Things For Our Mental Health.
What are you grateful for? Just pause for a moment, close your eyes, bring your hands to your heart and consider what’s working well in your life. We spend so much time focusing on what’s wrong, rather than what’s right in our abundant lives. As author John Kabat-Zinn reminds us, “There is so much more right in our lives than there is wrong." Focusing on what we appreciate uplifts our spirits and brightens the mind. Especially the things that we take for granted - because without them our lives would be turned upside down.
If I'm late to where I'm going, I'm stressed, and I forget that I'm sitting comfortably in a car that's getting me where I need to go with ease. This is where I can practice gratitude for something I take for granted. If I can catch myself and shift into gratefulness for the comfort and ease in which I'm traveling, I can focus on what's abundant in my life, which brightens my mind.
Once we start becoming grateful for the little things, it becomes an endless list. I did this when I was frustrated at my teenage daughter forgetting her lunch… again! I turned my frustration around when I remembered to be grateful for having the food to bring to her, having a car that made it easy to get her lunch to her, and most of all grateful to have a daughter. Then I could deliver it with love rather than negativity.
I mention this in the Sacred Sunday class that we dedicate to the 10 women we support through Women for Women International who support women in war-torn countries. During our weekly prayer of gratitude, we remember to be grateful for our warm, safe homes, the hot water out of our tap, our food security, our health, the love we have in our lives, any support we have, our peaceful lives, and most of all our freedom that most of these women do not have.
Practicing gratitude is one of the best things we can do for our mental health. Especially when we have easeful lives - we forget how much we have to be thankful for. But when we start practicing gratitude, it starts to come naturally, and our energy is uplifted. We can move from being in a bad mood to becoming so grateful and appreciative within just a few moments by remembering what’s working well in our lives.
If it means writing post-it notes all over your house - over your kitchen sink, on your bathroom mirror, on your steering wheel - ~what are you grateful for? ~ do it!
This is especially helpful during the holidays when expectations are high. When we’re surrounded by people or situations that are challenging, we can practice gratitude on the spot. When around a co-worker or family member that’s difficult, see if you can find anything about them that you appreciate. And if nothing comes up, appreciate the teaching of kindness or patience, but most of all, see their goodness. Remember that bad behavior is typically a result of internal suffering, and knowing this can shift our judgment to compassion. And when we shift, the entire dynamic shifts.
Easier said than done... I know, but what we practice gets stronger. If we practice stress, criticism, fear, and worry - that will get stronger. But if we remember to be thankful for all that we have, it will deepen the habit in a new way that literally brightens the mind.
It takes practice to keep remembering that there is more right than there is wrong in our lives.
Start now and your future self will thank you!
If you, or anyone you know, could use relief from the negative mindset, anxiety, depression, or auto-immune issues please check out the Meridian Flow Program.
In the Meridian Flow, we give the mind a focus to guide the energy through the meridians while breathing and moving. This creates a Zen-like mind where wisdom resides and a balanced nervous system so healing can take place.
If you are a seasoned yogi or yoga teacher and want to add the appropriate seasonal meditations, breathwork, yoga, kundalini, and qigong practices into your practice check out our Masters Path and the 300 hour Teacher Training. This group of yogis, from their 20s-70s, is so CHI-filled and inspired to enhance their practice with these ancient Taoist and Vedic teachings, which align us into homeostasis.
The Meridian Flow classes are unique and for all levels. If you're just coming back to yoga or new to it, check out the Tuesday and Thursday classes.
The Meridian Flow class Monday at 6:15
Meridian Yin and QigongTuesdays noon
Meridian Basics Thursdays 11:15.
From my heart light to yours~
Namaste,
Maggie