THANK YOU
“When eating fruit,
remember the one who planted the tree.”~ Vietnamese Proverb
For the last 14 days I have been practicing gratitude. How do you practice it? You’re either grateful or you aren’t. Yes, I get that, it seems pretty obvious. Most of us where taught the value of manners.
This is real gratitude. Giving whole hearted and present thanks for any moment, person or thing at any time. Showing up and actually being in the room.
I’m pretty certain you are wonderfully polite and thank people all the time. But do you do it out of habit or do you actually mean it. I asked myself the same question. It turns out that more often than not I said ‘thank you’ whilst my attention was elsewhere. I wasn’t present. I didn’t mean it.
Through this practice I’m now more aware of when I’m showing gratitude. When it’s with another person it’s always with eye contact and a smile. I have no idea how they feel, most of the time the moment is just a few seconds. But for me it is like a warm hug. Something I’m really missing at the moment in time. I hope it makes them feel good. I know it makes me feel wonderful.
The ‘thank you’ is not always vocal. Each morning as I welcome my children into a new day with that scrumptiously warm, unconditionally loving morning hug, I thank them. For asking all the questions. For having all the energy. For reminding me to play more. They don’t hear it, but I’m pretty convinced the energy from that gratitude unites with theirs like a colossal explosion of silent rainbows.
When I started this practice there was a promise of transformation and wealth.
I came with an open mind. It doesn’t cost me a thing and it’ll do no harm. Worth having a go.
On day 14, I can feel the transformations. They are tiny. They are real. It feels like I was walking through a grey cloud and now I get to experience the world in full saturated high definition.
Yesterday I had a lovely conversation with Laura (@LauraSwritesGCM). After hanging up, I was very aware that I had mentioned the feeling of being overwhelmed quite a lot. It certainly does sum up the last 6 months nicely. Being overwhelmed usually means that there are opportunities on the horizon. That there are options and decisions to be made. Fear of a blank page. What should I do first, where should I head next. The joys of being your own boss. No one to tell you what to do and where to go.
It’s overwhelming, certainly for a small organisation of two which is tip toeing along the fine line of success and failure. By success, I mean actually paying our bills and making it out of this phase without too many scars. At least not deep ones.
After a few minutes of reflection, I gave thanks for being overwhelmed. I smiled into the face of the fear it induced. The fear is still there, but I have excited butterflies now as apposed to a churning stomach. Excited for the possibilities. The opportunities. The discoveries.
Who would have thought.
A simple thank you could bring a flicker of light, even on the darkest of days.
Would you like to give it a try?
For the next 28 days, first thing in the morning, write down 10 things you are grateful for and why.
I’m grateful for …. because …
…
Once you have finished your list, read each one out loud and say:
“Thank you, Thank you, Thank you.”
Let me know how you get on.
Do you already have a practice? I’d love to know what it’s gifted you.
Send me an email - hello@brazilarte.org
If you made it this far, thank you for reading my weekly newsletter. Each and every time I receive a email reply or a tweet my heart skips a beat with joy. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
“Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude.”
~ A. A. Milne
#ForTheCulturallyCurious