Gratitude//Joy

2 weekends, 2 trips. With a lot of hustle in between. Wow, I’m tired.

I went to the beach at Cape San Blas [Florida] and Eden [Utah]. I saw sand dunes and mountains, changing leaves, and stars. Oh my stars.

There are few things in this world that make me gasp in wonder other than the night sky. Living in the city I don’t get the opportunity to see the stars that often. Not only is there too much light pollution, but I also don’t tend to look up. My focus concentrated on the road ahead. Stepping out of the car in both locations I couldn’t help but whisper in amazement. The stars were so clear while the milky way stretched from north – south.

I look to these natural wonders and I can’t help but be thankful for everything that’s been given to me. The majestic power of mountains and the mystery of the stars remind me to say thanks. We live extraordinary lives and most days we don’t slow down enough to express gratitude.

Brené Brown shared a powerful excerpt from Gratefullness, The Heart of Prayer by Brother David Steindl-Rast that describes the roots of joy as gratitude — “We hold the key to lasting happiness in our own hands. For it is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.”

With that, I want to challenge myself and others in practicing gratitude as we enter into the holiday season. I’ve collected a mason jar and slips of paper that I plan to write my thanks on throughout the month. [Here is the inspiration to my challenge – Perfect Bar’s 4 Week Guide to Gratitude] My intention is to notice the small things that make me feel grateful each day and to highlight them, because yes, I am extremely thankful for my family or the fact that I have a job, but perhaps there’s something else within the day that deserves equal appreciation.

Today is November 1st – what are you thankful for today?