Did you know when you practice gratitude, when you are focused on being thankful and feeling blessed, you cannot also feel fear or hate or grief or guilt at the same time? Think about that.
How does it feel when you’re overwhelmed with fear, hate, guilt or grief? It feels awful, doesn’t it. How often do you find yourself thinking, “What do I have to be grateful for, anyway?” Life has served up a bushel of hurt. Everything is changing and I’ve lost control. It’s impossible to imagine there’s a light at the end of the very long, dark tunnel. My heart is heavy and everything is a burden.
I get it. I’ve been there.
What if you could lighten your mood? What if you could replace the heaviness with a new belief? What if you felt loved and lovable, worthy, safe and whole? Wouldn’t that feel like a better place to be? It is possible—even in your darkest hour.
It Takes Just 90 Seconds
I’ll always be grateful to a dear friend who shared with me a simple activity that lifted my spirits in just 90 seconds. I shifted from feeling unworthy, stuck and deeply depressed to seeing a light that carried me to a much better place.
I was so blessed that she shared the power of this practice that I have since shared it in each of my workshops and I begin many group and private coaching sessions in this way. It can transform how you feel in that very moment and it will raise your spirit so you can see the possibilities that exist for you.
Grace with Gratitude
Sharing this simple practice is my gift to you. My friend calls it a Gratitude Rampage. I call it “90 Seconds of Grace.”
Set a timer for 90 seconds. If you’re alone, just start rattling off all the things you’re grateful for. Don’t stop. Say them out loud. As fast as you can think of them. The big things. The little things. Keep going. What else are you grateful for?
Today, mine might sound something like this: “I am so grateful for the support of my husband, for my four fur-babies’ unconditional love, for this beautiful day in Arizona, for my precious grand-baby who lights me up, for the hummingbird that just came to the feeder outside my window reminding me that all things are possible, for the love of my brother, for the best friend in the world a woman could ask for, that I am healthy, that I love what I do, for being the best CEO I have ever worked for” … etc., etc., etc. See how it works?
More than One Way
When I do this in a group, I usually don’t set a timer — instead, I’ll set a number of times around the group (at least three times) and we go ‘round robin.’
If you would like to try this, the dinner table might be a great way to test the theory that you can create ‘grace from gratitude.’ Ask each person at the table (kids are especially cool to do this with) to think of one thing they’re grateful for on this day and move to the next person. If you have a large group, they may only tolerate one round — but if it’s a smaller group you might try going around three times. You’ll know what feels right. There is great power in sharing gratitude.
Even when life has turned you upside down, starting your day with 90 Seconds of Grace will put you in a much better place to manage what comes your way. And, if things start to get out of hand at any time, take a deep breath and set your timer for 90 seconds — start to mutter under your breath all the things you’re grateful for.
Step Onto Your Bridge
When life-changing moments flip your world upside down, I create a bridge so you can turn chaos into calm. You build resilience and learn to live a life guided by your own values and vision. Are you ready to take the first step onto your bridge? Do you want to explore how change can impact you? Would you like to learn how to move through it with more dignity and grace? I’m here to help. Get my free ebook From Darkness to Light: Learning to Adapt to Change and Move Through Transition.