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It is at this time of year, that we take time as a culture to give thanks.

We have the opportunity for Thanks Giving.  But in order to accomplish this, we may need to slow down.

WHAT??!  ‘Tis the season of speeding up in order to “get it all done,” isn’t it?  What a conundrum.

Maybe we could just wait until January to slow down and for now, we could stick to our habitual list of gratitude; our habitude? After all, how will we pick up the turkey and begin to shop for stocking stuffers if we need to stop and listen for what we are grateful for in this moment?

Seriously, couldn’t we just stick with the tried and true habitude list?  After all, it’s a really good list. We could and we often do, but my inner voice asks me

“what do we give up when we delay gratitude?” 

Could we miss an authentic experience? After all, If we are not experiencing gratitude, we are missing something wonderful that will shift our perspective of our day to day lives during this very busy time. More conundrum and I’m still too busy.  But I forge ahead.

• So what gratitude will I find if I listen closely?
• What is waiting to be revealed under the habitude?
• Who is sandwiched in between “my beautiful children” and “my loving husband?”
• What will I find underneath “a supportive group of friends ” and tucked inside “my incredible parents and siblings?”

Not to mention the gift of truly experiencing the gratitude I have for my habitude list too. My gratitude for my husband and children knows no bounds, but when I take the time to truly experience it, my world perspective changes in that simple moment. So how do we do this?  You and I both know that the “to-do” list isn’t going away.

Is it possible to make gratitude a priority for the next 30 days? 

What kind of a gift would that be to you, me and our world? A friend shared a process with me that I loved because it is practical and it provides the experience of gratitude. Let me know how it works and if you like it too.

Coach Me Quick to Gratitude:

1.  Identify a person or situation in your life that you are challenged by right now.  It could be a relationship with a family member or a difficult situation in your workplace.

2.  Each day answer this question:  What is it about this person, relationship or situation that you are grateful for?  You may find it difficult on some days to answer the question.  Keep digging and listening for the answer.  It is there if you give it time.

3.  Write one answer per day/page and at the end of the 30 days, notice what has changed.  It could be that the situation is different.  Or, you may find that your experience of that situation is different, due to the perspective shift you create through gratitude.

4.  Have fun!

And by the way, I am filled with the experience of being grateful for you – the person who reads my articles and shares your thoughts and comments with me.  It is my connection to you, that inspires me to do the work I do.

Thank you.

Jamee Tenzer