NOT feeling grateful

A colleague shared recently that she just feels in despair

It’s hard to have the kids home & monitor their schooling. It’s hard to feel uncertain about the state of the government here in the U.S.

And it’s really hard to get excited about the upcoming holiday season when you’re…

Wondering if you should you see family or not?

Fearing what will happen with the economy or unemployment.

Feeling isolated.

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude. When you can’t find it, you can feel like a bad person. You know you should & yet you don’t.

If you’ve been with me for awhile you know how I feel about the word “should”. It’s obligatory & takes away all of your choice & power.

Stop shoulding all over yourself.

Let’s just acknowledge that this is an UNPRECEDENTED year. We’re all just trying to navigate this uncharted territory.

So, first recognize that this is a challenging time & let yourself feel what you’re feeling. Running away from feelings-resisting them-only makes them bigger.

Just be honest with yourself and feel it. BUT don’t set up camp & stay in the land of negative feelings. One really good way to get out is to practice gratitude. I know, I just heard a collective sigh.

What if instead of trying to find gratitude, you just allowed yourself to appreciate. No gratitude lists, just notice what’s around you that you value or enjoy.

For example, I appreciate the smell of the roses in my yard. So, I’ll stop & take a deep whiff.

Maybe for you it’s the sun poking out from behind the rain clouds, snow on the ground, a funny video, or a text from a friend. Whatever it is, take a second to just appreciate it.

It’s so much easier than committing to doing a gratitude practice and then feeling lousy because you either couldn’t find gratitude or you lost track of the practice. See what the simple step of appreciation might do for you. Feel free to hit reply & let me know how it works for you, I’d LOVE to hear.

AND I have a resource for you...

I've created a checklist with 4 Shifts to Make the Holidays MERRY-even in a pandemic. This isn't your typical holiday guide it really is about how to make the season better for you AND everyone around you when you make choices that benefit you. Go here to download the checklist.

I sincerely hope you're able to find some joy this Thanksgiving holiday.

xo