Defining Gratitude: A Curious Journey

In my early years as a yoga student, my teacher would often suggest setting an intention of gratitude. At the time, I didn’t fully understand the meaning of the word. Of course I’m grateful for my family, friends, and my health! But the thought didn’t make me feel any different. No deep sense of peace or love. No enlightened higher self. Just me, with a fleeting thought and then moving on to more pressing mental agendas.

For decades, I used the word half-heartedly. My daily gratitude journal attempts lasted just over a week at best. Sure, my list of the people and things I was grateful for was robust and gave me a welcomed hit of serotonin and dopamine, but it was still short-lived and honestly, felt a little fake. I mean, bad things were still happening in the world and in my own life. I still experienced moments of feeling sorry for myself or wishing things were different.

How could I incorporate gratitude consistently? How could I work through the friction that I felt towards the word?

In order to understand GRATITUDE, I had to define it for myself first.

After researching the meaning behind gratitude and why it’s important, all the pieces have fallen right into place for me. And my newfound perspective is this: I believe that gratitude is a deep sense of appreciation for life. It’s also a practice. It’s not something that can be achieved or a box to be checked. It’s an ever-evolving state of being. When practiced regularly, you can expect better overall health and wellbeing.

It’s composed of 3 disciplines: Awareness, Acceptance, and Presence.

1. AWARENESS is a super power, like being in two places at once. It’s the ability to observe your own thoughts, emotions, and actions and recognize what is actually happening versus going along with stories our brains love to make-up.

2. True ACCEPTANCE means releasing expectations and embracing what is. When you accept people and situations without trying to change, judge, or label them, you’re able to tap into a sense of peace and calm.

3. PRESENCE is the art of being rather than doing. It’s noticing the kindness of the stranger holding a door, the beauty of a butterfly landing in your yard, and the wonder within yourself and the world around you, no matter how big or small.

By incorporating these 3 disciplines, you can unlock the doors to a world of gratitude, peace, and love. I promise the more you practice, the easier it gets.

With a grateful heart,

Kelly