As we approach Thanksgiving and the holiday season, it’s a good time for reflection on Gratefulness.
I’m so grateful and thankful for God’s grace. Family and friends are gathering to share bonds of love. So much is happening in the world today that could be otherwise for me, you and countless others. The daily news lets us all know but for the grace of God go we.
Even so, we sometimes don’t focus on that, right? Have you ever been in a bad mood? Didn’t know how to shift out of it? I have. Gotta be honest…sometimes it feels good to stay mad, frustrated, to call your BFF and vent about it. “I can’t BELIEVE she did that. He makes me SOOO mad when he does this. Traffic is a MESS!” And on and on. If you take a moment in those times and feel how your body is responding, it could alert you to take a different tack. Your heart is racing, forehead is creased, breathing is rushed…Hmmm. Definitely NOT Sizzling. Or worse, could be lighting a fire when dousing it is a better solution.
Well, I’ve found that finding something to be grateful in any and all situations can be the solution. We’ve all heard this before. “Find the good. There’s a lesson to be learned. There’s a silver lining.” In the middle of frustration, though, those positives may be hard to get to.
Here’s what I’m learning to more consistently do. Keep it simple. Be grateful. Just. Be. Grateful. Grateful to be able to breathe. To walk, talk and chew gum at the same time.
Let me share how this came home for me. I’ve shared this with some of you. In 1988, my cousin Brett, who was like a sister to me, was killed in a car accident. Her parents were devastated, and needed my help. I jumped on a plane to LA. My aunt, Brett’s Mom, took me directly to the wig shop to get a wig as Brett went through the windshield, and her beautiful long hair was lost. The next stop was the funeral home, where I had to go downstairs with the mortician. Never went downstairs before…and I proceeded to comb the wig on Brett while he put her face back together. Whew. That’s when I really knew what it meant to be dead. I had an out of body experience and told Brett to get up ’cause we were outta there! But she couldn’t. I realized then that… As long as I could look up, I could get up.
I started saying that to my kids all the time. My son Nick now has that tattooed on his arm. And that is powerful.
I’m truly grateful for the ability to be able to just look up. When you look up, things instantly can feel better. Heart calms down. Mind slows down. A smile can be found. Appreciation can increase. And that’s the power of gratefulness. Because when people, things or situations threaten your well-being, turning on the grateful switch changes your energy. It can be felt immediately. I find it can give a boost to my thinking, and propel me in a better direction. Gratefulness is juice energy, and tapping into your juice is always amazing. I’m learning that the energy we embrace not only affects me, but everyone around me. It attracts good things and brings out good energy in others.
So, as we get ready to celebrate the holidays and beyond, I’ll be keeping that Grateful Switch ON!
How about you? What are your grateful for? How has being grateful changed your life?
Have a Happy Turkey Day!
Hugs,
Amy
Sizzling After 60 