Between the hustle of grocery shopping and food prepping and family gathering, did you find time to pause and acknowledge some of the things you’re thankful for? Were you able to be present for the things that matter? Did you create a space where you could breathe deeply?
As I finished my very short work week (thank you, new place, for giving us three days off), instead of feeling bogged down by an enormous weight, I felt free. Light. Happy. Dancing in my kitchen. Excited to make delicious foods. I felt joy, which is not my default emotion, and for that moment in time, I was acutely aware of how far I’ve come this year and how thankful I am.
- I’m thankful for the good that has happened this year. I’m also thankful for the hard things, which pushed me to make choices that led to the good.
- I’m thankful for the courage to make changes.
- I’m thankful for opportunities to learn new things and to find myself in a new organizational culture and team.
- I’m thankful for taking the leap to become a certified holistic coach.
- I’m thankful for the new people I’ve met this year, who have contributed to my learning and growth.
- I’m thankful for a period of time that is a slower pace and feels more relaxed.
This feeling of balance… even harmony… hasn’t happened over night. I didn’t have a genie in a bottle granting me a less stressed life. It’s been a journey of intentions – both small and large – that have led me to this point.
Several years ago we started a tradition of recording answers to grateful questions for each day during November. We use the same journal each year and this is our 7th year doing this activity together. It’s both fun and heart-warming to flip back through the past years to see what we answered, what memories we were recording, who and what was at the forefront of our minds at the time, and to read what we were grateful for. A year ago we recorded a question that asked “What’s something you’re looking forward to in the future?” My answer was “a new, less stressful job.” Foreshadowing. Manifesting.
As November is rapidly coming to an end and holiday lights are illuminating our path toward the end of the year, I hope you can take some time to really slow down. Even if it’s just for a few minutes each day. Pause and reflect. Look around and feel gratitude for both the big and little things, including your own strength, courage, and intuition that’s leading you in the right direction.
Find a quiet moment and ask yourself:
- What is in this present moment?
- What do I hope for and want to manifest into existence?
- How and What (or for Whom) can I be thankful for along the way?
The poet William Wordsworth said it best: “Rest and Be Thankful.”
Sunflowers and Fog 