This weekend was Thanksgiving in Canada. On Saturday night, my family gathered for a festive fall feast like we do every year, to take in some turkey and celebrate what we’re grateful for.
The occasion made me realize something important: Thanksgiving feels just like any other day of the year.
Which, in turn, means that I’ve come a long way.
Practicing gratitude used to be a foreign concept for me, or perhaps more accurately, something that only really happened when it was triggered: At Thanksgiving. On other special occasions, like birthdays and holidays. When something really good happened.
I can’t say that it was part of my everyday life.
When Oprah started talking about daily gratitude journals years ago, I didn’t get it: Write down 5 things you’re grateful for everyday? Why would you do that? And who has the time?
Little did I know how much that simple little practice could transform my life.
Being grateful is easy when life’s good; practicing gratitude allows you to see the good when life’s not easy. (And it turns out that it doesn’t take much time, as I discovered when I finally decided to give it a shot.)
I’m grateful for your precious attention; the opportunity to teach Kundalini yoga; the colours of the fall; my 8-year-old nephew seeking practical yogic advice from me; and my sister baking this amazing pumpkin loaf at a time when I’m eating gluten. That’s my list for today.
On an even larger level, I’m grateful for life itself.
What are you grateful for?