gratitude. it's more than just something i think about during the month of november. it is a tool that allows me the space and patience to make it through my day. it is the anchor i drop in the swirling waters of the madness the world seems to be swimming in currently. it is the mantra to my breath when i need to stop and refocus...to shift perspective...to move forward.
i wish i could tell you i have this lovely gratitude practice, but i don't. it's sporadic, some days it comes merely so as not to hit the wall of desperation. other days, it's a practice i spend some time and effort to quietly cultivate. i have a small journal and some nights i will record three things i am grateful for. some nights, they are large and encompassing and other days it falls to the simple things. as i flip through my little journal...some times it simply is a deep breath. some nights i am just too tired to look at the journal, so i count gratitude out on my fingertips. regardless of how it shows up, it is what i consider every night before falling sleep.
if you are interested, you can read more about the benefits of gratitude - here, here, or here.