Gratitude & Thankfulness-Day One

Dear Friends,

Happy Wednesday.  Today is Day One in our 30 Days of Gratitude Countdown To Thanksgiving!  I always feel so bad for Thanksgiving.  So much focus is placed on Halloween and then consuming goods for the upcoming Holiday Season that it just feels like a blip on the chug to Christmas radar.  Sure it's a national holiday but I wonder if we didn't have the Macy's Day Parade, football games and the dog shows would we even take the day off?  Some people don't because they are lining up for early bird deals at the mall.  I'm not passing judgement but I think we could use a healthy dose of "Thanks" before we consume.  I know I need it! 

The idea for this Gratitude Countdown was born out of some posts I saw on Facebook.  A good friend always writes notes of gratitude for her status updates. It's refreshing, inspiring and gives me pause to think about my own life whenever I read her posts.  Thanks T!

For the next 30 days we will be zeroing in on different areas in our lives where we are the beneficiaries of something wonderful.  I want you to think of a simple way that you can acknowledge the gifts in your life everyday.  It can be a Gratitude Status Post on Facebook, light a candle, take 5 minutes to meditate, make a piece of gratitude jewelry and say a quick prayer every time you touch it, journal, read an inspiring story everyday, take a gratitude picture everyday etc. 

Carolina Jasmine-the best smelling plant EVER

There is one more thing I would really like for you to consider.  Resolution is defined as resolving or determining upon an action or course of action.  I understand how January 1st feels like you have a clean slate and how that is the best time to start some new habits.  Why not start now during a time when you are focusing on all the wonderful things in your life as opposed to when you are bloated and hungover?  Show some compassion to yourself and start to make changes out of a place of gratitude today.  Many of you commented on how much you like the Use It Up challenge so why not continue that trend for 30 days?  Or maybe you can take some ideas from a vegan challenge we did a while back?  Or maybe you need to institute a spending fast or an exercise challenge.  Just remember to be gracious to yourself.

Love, love, love darlings!