Giving Thanks
“When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”
G.K. Chesterton
It’s easy to get lost in everything you perceive to be going wrong or focus on the things you don’t have.
It’s also really easy to take for granted the little things that make your life what it is. The little things make your life convenient and comfortable. The little daily moments of your life, getting up and making coffee, eating a meal, or being with family, can be overlooked. But these little things and little moments make up your life.
The Little Things
If you’re like me, you probably spend most of your day running on autopilot. You get up, make your breakfast, grab the same mug you usually use. You get ready, get dressed, and start working. There were many mornings I didn’t remember my morning commute to work; I got lost in my to-do list, an upcoming meeting, a deadline. You go through your day thinking about the past or the future. You are worried about things that might not even happen. You take dinner with family and friends for granted. You expect the warmth of your home or the comfort of your favorite chair. It’s all there for you every day. It’s expected. It’s forgotten
Tune into your daily life
When you get up in the morning, start by noticing your bed. The warmth and comfort. Your pillow, sheets, and blanket. Feel the joy of a warm shower or bath, coffee, or tea. Notice all the appliances you use as you get ready in the morning, your refrigerator, the stove or microwave, a clock. You may catch the news or weather on your TV or computer. When you eat a meal, before you take a bite, become aware of the plate or the bowl, fork, knife, or spoon you use. Look at the food on your plate. Notice all the aromas and tastes of the food.
Take in the sights and sounds of your commute or as you run errands. The streets you walk or drive on. Notice the buildings or landscapes you go past. If you can get outside during your day, feel the sense of the sun on your body, feel the fresh air. Take in all the sounds and scents around you.
Take time to notice the people in your life, your family and friends, your neighbors. Think about the people who wait on you at a coffee shop or restaurant. The people you may never see who stock the shelves, deliver food and goods, the first responders in your community. Notice the people you pass in the store or on your way to work.
Notice the “in-between” moments
It’s not just the people and things you might overlook. It’s the simple moments in life. The moments between the “big” stuff make up most of your life. It might be sipping coffee at your desk, playing with a pet. It’s standing outside in the sun, or maybe in the moonlight. It is feeling the warmth of a heater or fireplace on a chilly winter day. It might be the comfort of sitting in your favorite chair or getting into a warm, comfortable bed at the end of your day. It’s all the interactions with the people around you, the sights, sounds and tastes, the sensations of each moment. The more present you are to each moment, not caught up in the past or the future, the greater your experience of the moment.
Find gratitude in each moment
It’s effortless to be grateful for the big things in your life, the promotions, the new houses or cars. It’s easy to be thankful for the things that you perceive as going right. It’s not as easy to be thankful for the little things you take for granted, like your house, appliances, and clothes. It’s even harder to be grateful when messy, bumpy things happen in life. When the line at the store or bank is long, or you’re caught in traffic, it’s harder to feel gratitude for the moment. You are annoyed you are late or just tired of being there. An appliance breaks, the car won’t start. You feel it is out of your control, not what you planned. Can you replace the thoughts of annoyance with gratitude for the chance to pause? Can you spend the time present to what is in this moment? Notice the people around you. Notice the place where you are. Notice your breath or any sounds or smells, or sights in this moment. Take a moment for what it is entirely.
The practice of giving thanks
Giving thanks for everything, the little things, the overlooked things, or the annoyances, takes commitment. It takes being fully present to the sensations around you in each moment. It takes being aware of the thoughts that come up and the emotions you feel. It takes commitment to turn not-so-positive thoughts into thoughts of gratitude for whatever you can be grateful for at that moment. It takes commitment to notice the emotions of irritation or anger and turn them into a sense of joy for the moment. It takes practice. It takes patience.
As you go through your day, try to notice more and be more present in each moment. If you notice you are no longer present, guide your awareness back to the sensations you notice most. It might be sounds around you. It might be seeing your surroundings and pausing to look at them. It might be a smell or taste. Maybe you notice the sensation of a warm cup of coffee in your hands. As you bring awareness to the moment, give thanks, even if it’s a momentary pause. Be thankful for the moment, thankful for your awareness of it. Be grateful for your breath, your body, and your life. Give thanks for all of it, even the messy not so special stuff.
Meditation – Appreciate the Little Things
It’s difficult to feel gratitude for the little things, the little moments in your life if they go unnoticed. One of the benefits of meditation is the development of more awareness in each moment, more awareness of the little things.
In the meditation appreciate the little things, I will guide you through noticing and appreciating the little things in life. The daily gifts you receive that may be overlooked.
