gratitude

I will be grateful for this day by Volume Twenty Five

I think gratitude is so incredibly important. That feels like an obvious statement, but the power of gratitude isn't something that was always so obvious to me. I think I first began to notice a need for gratitude after I graduated college and entered the work force. I've worked in several different environments from commission-based financial services to childcare to investment company to freelance photography, and one thing I've noticed exists in almost any work environment is complaining. Oh the complaining! It's such an awful habit to get sucked into, but so easy to find yourself there….and I was right there in the middle of it for a long time. 


I thoroughly understand uniting against the man, letting off steam by venting to your cubicle neighbors, and feeling frustrated by the every day workings of a work place. But, I also know that the more you complain, the more you focus on what is wrong or unfair, the more energy you put into thinking about the negative and that only breeds more negativity. I personally find complaining to be very dangerous, because my emotions get the best of me quite easily and I catapult myself into a miserable place if I vent too much. But, the point is that work place complaining is simply an example of what I began to notice in my world: a lack of gratitude and a fully charged supply of negativity.

Family Rules Sign by Signs of Vintage

On the opposite end of the spectrum (from complaining), gratitude is also a habit and it too will catapult you deeper and deeper into its grasp on your life. And that is the good news! By focusing on what is going right in your life, you invite more of the good stuff in. That is life-changing! It's as simple as cultivating a gratitude practice, something I've been thinking a lot about lately and am really focusing on (hence the blog post:). One practice my husband and I instituted over a year ago is to list 5 things we are grateful for today over dinner, sort of our form of saying grace. We only do this when we eat at the table though, which is not as often as I'd like so that's something to work on. But, to supplement that practice I make lists of things I'm grateful for in bed as I fall asleep at night.


On that note, here's a short list of things I'm grateful for today! 


1. I have a wonderful husband who loves and supports me unconditionally.
2. I have my first art show coming up this weekend!
3. I am healthy.
4. I am expressing myself artistically every day.
5. I am surrounded by loving, inspiring, supportive people.


P.S. I LOVE these notebooks! Both by This is It! What a great idea….

What are you grateful for? Think about it, I guarantee it will put you in a better frame of mind.