November – can you believe we are nearly at the end of 2013! With Thanksgiving nearly upon those in the States and the festive season creeping up on the rest of us around the world, I think it’s a perfect opportunity to unwind, reflect and take a moment to express our gratitude for the good things we’ve experienced this year. Kathy over at Simple Clean Living came up with this idea of the “November – 30 days of Gratitude Project”. Each day, we share one thing that we are grateful for. It needn’t be so ‘out-there’. No matter how small or how trivial, an attitude of gratitude is an amazingly powerful tool that has the ability to transform lives.
It’s about taking a moment to remember the important things in life that truly provide us meaning, purpose and joy.
Gratitude is at the centre of living a life of abundance. When we give thanks to the blessings we experience in life, we acknowledge that there are greater things to live for than simply that which meets the eye. It’s about recognising that good can come from even the dullest of days. It’s a reminder that there is one greater than us who loves us and cares for us. Gratitude provides us a centred life in existence. It’s grounding. We feel connected to the earth and indeed, to one another. We take so much for granted. The clean air we breath, access to fresh and healthy food, an opportunity to make a decent living and having money to spare at the end of the day. Whether we consider ourselves as rich or poor, there is room for gratitude in whatever shape or form it may come. We ask so much of this world. We take and take and take, only sometimes giving back. Mostly at times that are convenient to us… if ever. We hardly spend nearly enough time giving thanks. Being grateful is a way to express your love to this beautiful world around you. To say, thank you for being there for me and for supporting me so that I can live the life you have laid out for me. The humbling piece to this picture is that we can receive this love without needing to be anyone or anything but our self. It’s free and accessible to anyone and everyone. On numerous occasions I’ve thought the bleakest of days have swallowed me whole and spat me out, leaving me with a spirit that’s so low and disheartened, it’s as though a dog has gone and pissed all over me. Yeah, quite the bleak thought, right? A simple prayer of thanks for the things in life that are still there to support me, like the roof over my head, the love of a friend or family member, the blue sky, or the chirping bird, is enough to lift my spirits, even if ever so slightly. We determine our own happiness. We have a choice to share this with others. Taking a moment to say thanks is uplifting to the spirit. Whether you start your day or finish your day, or both, with a prayer of thanks, you will notice a shift in your thinking. It may be all your need to completely turn your day upside down.
This is the day which the LORD has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalms 118:24
So from November 1 to November 30, join me over on my Facebook page. Each morning I’ll share one thing that I’m grateful for and an encouraging word for you to share with others. Keep an eye out for them because I want you to comment and share yours too! Let me know in the comments below if you’re keen and then head on over to like The Urban Ecolife on Facebook to follow along.
Have a blessed start to the month!
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