Hi {{ subscriber.firstName | default('love') }}
My son and I went for a lazy walk last night (check out the sunset snap above, NO FILTER necessary!) and yet again - no words necessary - he reminded me to take it all in.
I asked him if he would walk alongside me instead of biking, so that we could talk, and he sweetly obliged. We took our time, laughed a ton, daydreamed together ... and I got majorly educated on Minecraft ;). It was the sweetest stroll, and I'm so grateful for the time. (He had reminded my husband and I a couple of nights ago that after his next birthday in October... he will be coming up to double digits!!! What the heck and where is that time stopper I've been searching high and low for from day one with him?!)
As we were walking around the lake, he asked me to stop and sit on a bench for awhile. I won't lie, the first thought that crossed my mind was the list of 18 things I wanted to try to get done before bed, but I quickly dismissed it all and we stopped and sat awhile. Wouldn't you know, the moment that we sat down I REALLY noticed the sunset and I REALLY noticed the shared moment. I wouldn't have taken back sitting and chatting longer with him for anything in the world.
The whole evening reminded me that when it comes to our self care...it's important that we regularly go back to the basics, and that is gratitude.
I mean just look at the picture I saw when I ACTUALLY looked up last night! Look at the irreplaceable moments I shared with him.
When we pause to practice gratitude, our hearts fill with love. We see things more clearly and through a different lens. We immerse ourselves in the REAL and good stuff of life. Our perspectives shift. The edge is taken off.
The beauty of it is that you can practice gratitude HOWEVER you love: it could be a thought in the morning before heading into your own list of 18 to dos; through meditation; during a yin pose or class; a quick nod towards your blessings during the day....or you could come up with your own practice. But do make the time for it - kick off a new habit and practice daily! I promise it will show you the sunset that was radiant in front of you the entire time, even if you didn't notice the beautiful colors during the rush of life.
Not feeling super grateful this year? I feel you - I know that this time is so heavy with loss and stress for so many right now, and my family has shared in that alongside you. I promise you that amongst times of heavy...a practice of gratitude will serve you even more abundantly. This is your soft nudge to find a practice in it that works for you and feels good right now.
