Several years ago I developed a daily gratitude practice. I wanted to shift things in my life. Somehow I knew I had a good life, or even a great life, but I found myself complaining a lot about things. I felt dissatisfied somehow. I began to see that I was focusing on those things that were going wrong in my life, rather than what was going right.
Back in November 2013, I was waiting in line at the grocery store and I picked up O magazine. I have always loved Oprah's article called "What I Know for Sure" which is on the last page of the magazine. In this particular article she wrote about how much her gratitude practice helped her. I remember thinking that Oprah, who seemed to have everything, had to practice being grateful??? But she did. And, so, I thought that if it was good enough for her, then maybe I should give it a try.
I keep a journal by my bedside and write in it every night 5 things I am grateful for. That was the beginning in a big shift in my attitude. Sometimes I am grateful for the same things every night: my husband, my son, my house. Sometimes I am grateful for the simplest things: my car starts every morning when I turn the key, I have hot water, I don't have a tooth ache. The act of being grateful points the way to other things that I am grateful for and so my life changes from feeling somewhat vaguely discontented to realizing how wonderful my life truly is!
One of the things I am enormously grateful for is my job. I love teaching yoga and I love my students. In one of my teacher training sessions, one of my students, who also shared a love of Oprah, shared a book with me: 29 Gifts by Cami Walker.
Here is the description of the book from Amazon:
"At age thirty-five, Cami Walker was burdened by an intensified struggle with multiple sclerosis, a chronic neurological disease that left her debilitated and depressed. Then she received an uncommon “prescription” from South African healer Mbali Creazzo: Give away 29 gifts in 29 days.
29 Gifts is the insightful story of the author's life change as she embraces and reflects on the naturally reciprocal process of giving. Many of Walker's gifts were simple—a phone call, spare change, a Kleenex. Yet the acts were transformative. By Day 29, not only had Walker's health and happiness improved, but she had created a worldwide giving movement. 29 Gifts shows how a simple, daily practice of altruism can dramatically alter your outlook on the world."
Check out the 29 gifts website here.
The book details the "prescription" given to Cami by Mbali Creazzo which I wrote about here.
I know that Thanksgiving is the time of the year that we are already supposed to be be thankful. So, I thought it would be a good idea to take this time to cultivate an "Attitude of Gratitude" that lasted for more than one day. You might feel that with the beginning of the holiday season that you are already worried about what you are "getting" other people. But I encourage you to think about these gifts differently. A gift could be: a compliment, a hug, giving somebody something you already have (but maybe don't use) that you know they would want.
Mbali writes about how the prescription of giving for 29 days changed her life. She says: "When I am in service to another person, I am moving from a place of self-centeredness to selflessness. The act of giving inherently carries gratitude in it. For me, it is impossible to give without feeling grateful."
Maybe the timing is not quite right for you to begin giving 29 gifts right now. If it isn't, wait until you have read the book. Maybe you start in the new year, as I did on January 4th of last year. If you do this practice, I guarantee it will cause a shift in your perspective and may very well change your life.
I leave you with my favorite quote about gratitude. I read this every Thanksgiving to my classes and at my own Thanksgiving dinner table:
“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” - Melody Beattie
If you embark on this mission, please share your experiences below. May you have a wonderful holiday filled with gratitude for all the blessings in your life!
Namaste,
Karin