Hey there First name / friend,

 

Welcome to an a-May-zing month exploring gratitude. The dictionary states it as “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.” I’ve also heard it described as the practiced emotional state of acknowledging the good things in life, as well as an attitude of thankfulness.

 

 

 

If you’re feeling a little sceptical here, I want to assure you — we aren’t pushing a load of toxic positivity or a ‘just see the sunshine’ kind of focus. Gratitude is more aligned with recognising life’s silver linings than blinding sunshine.

 

 

You might recall we touched on this idea in April’s newsletters about hindsight windows — how events in life shape us in unexpected ways, and how the ability to identify the lessons and the learning can help turn pain into purpose.

 

The thing is, there’s a bit of an art to spotting those silver linings in the first place. Many of us have trained ourselves to only see the storm clouds. And no wonder — there’s a tactical advantage to that. Our ability to quickly perceive threats has, historically, increased our chances of survival.

 

 

But when we introduce an attitude of gratitude, we begin training ourselves to also notice what the storm clouds might be bringing — the growth, the perspective, the lessons.

 

 

Some days, gratitude comes easy — a pay rise, light traffic, your team winning a game. Other days, it’s harder. Especially in the aftermath of a major shake-up or setback. On those days, what’s needed may be less about silver linings and more about acknowledging where you are, offering yourself kindness and space.

 

 

Silver linings aren’t always on display. They often take time and cultivation to let the light through. Gratitude is a practice, after all.

 

 

 

Wishing you an a-May-zing month ahead.

 

x Marisa