Gratitude from A-Z
As we moved through my annual Fall Gratitude Challenge this month, I was so humbled by the way this practice has the capacity to open our hearts and connect us more deeply to the many blessings all around us that can be easy to take for granted.
Each day, I offered participants different ways they could practice gratitude that go beyond keeping a daily gratitude journal (a wonderful practice, but only one of many ways you can express your thankfulness each day!). For example, simply becoming more mindful and paying attention is the first step to cultivating gratitude. You can express your appreciation to others in the form of a letter or show yourself a little appreciation in this way, too.
You can also get creative with your gratitude. The practice I want to offer you today is a fun, creative one called “The ABCs of Gratefulness” and was developed by Brother David Steindl-Rast, one of the world’s foremost experts on gratitude. It’s simple and you can do it anywhere… in your journal this week, sitting in the waiting room at your dentist’s office, around the table with your family and friends at Thanksgiving dinner this Thursday.
You basically start with “A” and think of the first word that comes to mind and then make a connection between that word and living gratefully.
Ready to play? I’ll give you some examples for inspiration from when I did it myself recently….
A – Appreciation I appreciate the way all the women in my mindfulness class showed up so vulnerably and authentically this fall with such a commitment to living their lives more intentionally and with greater mindfulness and compassion for themselves. They inspire me.
B – My Breath This constant human travel companion and source of life. I’m so grateful for this anchor that I can come back to again and again when I need to presence or calm myself.
C - Cookies Okay, so honestly, even though I don’t really eat much sugar anymore this is the FIRST “C” word that popped into my mind. It made me think of my Mom’s frosted sugar cookies (which are the best in the world!) and how grateful I am that my husband and I will be spending some time with both my parents and family in Illinois next month for the Christmas holiday.
D – Dogs! If you know me well, you know that I adore my dogs. We’re down to one now, our beloved Charlie… but memories of our two older ones that have passed in the last couple years still bring me great joy. And I know that that next “just right for us” terrier is on her way and will come into our lives when the time is right!
E – The Earth – So much love for our beloved Mother Earth and her rivers, oceans, deserts, mountains and all of her inhabitants.
F- Food – I am so thankful that I have access to fresh, healthy food that nourishes my body and well-being. And making fall soups and stews and pumpkin anything is one of my favorite things to do this time of year! I have to add the second “F” that popped into my mind here… family. I am deeply grateful for them… my immediate family, extended family and all my “in-loves.”
G – Gratitude – So thankful for this practice that has become an integral part of my daily life over the last couple decades. Especially during the challenging times, it helps me remember the good that also still exists in my life.
H – Harry Potter – I love seeing what words come to mind with each of these letters… it can be so random sometimes! So, when I think of Harry Potter I smile and remember binge watching all of the movies years ago and how much I loved being swept away into the magic of Hogwarts. I may need to go back and rewatch a few this fall!
I – Imagination – What a gift imagination is and the wonderful things we can dream up with our minds!
J- Journey – This human journey has so many twists and turns. Grateful for them all and what each day and each situation and interaction with others teaches me.
K- Knowledge – We have access to such a huge body of knowledge at our fingertips. It blows my mind! Google, Wikipedia, and so many other resources allow us to do research and find answers to any questions we have. And then there is this wise definition of knowledge from Confucius: “When you know a thing, to hold that you know it, and when you do not know a thing, to allow that you do know it – this is knowledge.”
L – Love – Such a strong force for good in our world. I always strive to live more from my heart than my head and allow love to be the guiding force in all that I do. Some days I do this better than others, but meeting myself and others with love is a daily aspiration. As Mother Teresa once said: “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” This especially includes ourselves.
M – Music Isn’t it incredible how music (just one simple song!) has the ability to lift our spirits, connect us to certain people and times in our life, and shift our mood! Last summer I made this playlist for a loved one who was going through a tough time and this is a gratitude-themed playlist I made a few years ago and keep adding to. And four years ago this month a dear friend of mine died and one of her favorite songs was Iz’s Under the Rainbow. I find it curious that I often will hear that song – on the radio or playing in a restaurant – on days when I’m thinking of her. How does music play a role in your life?
N - No Saying “no” can be good self-care. Knowing your priorities and having boundaries around how you spend your time are excellent life skills to develop.
O – Observing In the mindfulness classes I teach, we talk a lot about noticing and observing our experience. The first step in changing any habit is to first observe what it is in your life that you wish to change.
P – Poetry Poetry nourishes my soul and I have volumes of it sitting on my shelves. Mary Oliver and Rumi are two of my favorite poets and here is the link to one of my favorite Rumi poems.
Q – Quiet I immediately thought of dark, early morning time before anyone else in my house is up. I love the peace and quiet of this time of day when I’ve lit candles and I’m doing my morning meditation and qi gong.
R – Ravenous Okay, so I have to confess that I’m doing this exercise on Day 4 of a 5-day modified fast that I’m doing to support my overall health… and I am feeling hungry most of the day! But when I think of this word “ravenous” what also comes to mind is the question: “What are you truly hungry for in your life?” It could be greater peace, more ease, more joy. Think about what your soul is craving more of these days.
S – Sharing Way back in kindergarten, we learned about this. It’s a gift to other when you share your time, love and energy with them and then receive this in return.
T – Travel – One of the great joys in my life is traveling… both exploring new spots on the planet and visiting again and again those spots that hold special places in my heart. I’m soaking up the time we’re spending on the Big Island right now!
U – Understanding – It’s such a gift to feel truly seen and understood by someone else. Enough said.
V – Voting – So thankful to live in a democracy where as a woman I have a voice and can openly share my thoughts and opinions and cast my vote in elections.
W – Water – I’m so thankful for being able to turn on my faucet to get a glass of clean, filtered drinking water.
X – Xylophone – This made me think of being a child and all the Fisher-Price toys I had. Fun memory!
Y – Yellow – One of the most joyful colors there is. In late summer, the fields and roadsides in Southwest Colorado and northern New Mexico are alive with sunflowers blooming… it’s quite a magnificent sight.
Z – Zebras – This made me think of a trip that some family members recently took to Africa and what a joy it was to see their photos and hear about their adventures on safari!
As you can see, I just took a word that randomly popped into my mind for each letter and then connected it to something or someone I’m grateful for in my life. This is a simple, easy gratitude practice you can do yourself or with others and a fun activity to do around the Thanksgiving dinner table if your loved ones are game. Enjoy!