Today is World Gratitude Day.
In honor of this momentous occasion, I made a list of things for which I am incredibly grateful.
(in no particular order)
- I am grateful I woke up today.
- I am grateful for my family.
- I am grateful there is food in the fridge.
- I am grateful I have gas in my car.
- I am grateful that at some point, this day will end and I get to start over tomorrow.
- I am grateful for box wine and solo cups
- I am grateful for full episodes of Project Runway available online.
- I am grateful for that freelance gig that showed up just when the money in my account was down to pocket lint and Canadian pennies.
- I am grateful for naps.
- I am grateful for hot showers with soap that smells delicious.
Conscious Gratitude
About a year ago, my family started doing a daily gratitude practice at dinner. We go around the table and share one thing in our day that we are grateful for. It doesn’t have to be a big thing, or the best thing, or your favorite thing. All we have to do is pluck out one person, place, action, or thing that we are grateful for. Some days it is that I got a text from my big sis in the moment that I needed it. Other days it is that I found the M&M’s stashed out of reach of everyone in my house but me. My favorite ones come from my kids. My three-year-old often shares that she is thankful for her brother, naps, or cheese (she is related to me, after all). My son has a harder time. He wants it to be perfect. The weight of that choice makes him freeze up. I continue to remind him that there are no wrong answers. It could be that he made it on the bus on time, or that he found matching socks. He often responds with, “I am thankful for my life.”
Practicing conscious gratitude in my day pulls me back to center. It helps me clear away the noise. Gratitude allows me to bring what is really important back into focus. Conscious gratitude reminds me that I am not alone. Whatever is going on in this moment does not negate how beautiful being alive is.
This practice won’t glue together what is broken or put out fires. It does give me the focus and strength to find and execute solutions that I may have missed otherwise.
The team here at Sweatpants & Coffee is working on The Gratitude Project. We are reaching out into our diverse and majestic community to gather up the things that we are all grateful for.
How do I participate?
I am so glad that you asked. We have a survey! It is anonymous. The answers collected will be used in community discussions and artwork. Our goal is that the questions in themselves will spark conversations and give ideas on how you can start your own conscious gratitude practice.
Here are a few of the submissions that we’ve received so far:
- “I am grateful for the smell of the ocean, because it is cleansing and purifying, yet one badass bitch that will break you in two without blinking. And also terrifyingly fragile at the same time.”
- “I am grateful for my wife. Her scent, which I cannot describe, has turned me on for well over 50 years.”
- “I am grateful for the sound of coffee brewing.”
- “I am grateful for my dad. He is 95 and every time I look at him I am reminded how blessed I am.”
This is our dinner table. Pull up a chair and let’s chat.
What’s your gratitude for today?
Thank you for participating in this life-changing community.
Today is World Gratitude Day.
For today, my gratitude is you.
Jerusha Gray is insatiably curious. This curiosity, coupled with a brain that never shuts up, drives her to paint and draw, read prodigiously, make music, write, and sing in grocery stores.
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