Part 1 of a 2 Part Series
The Magic of 3
I suspect you’ve been grateful and “grinchy” more than once this year. As we come near the end of year, there isn’t anyone I know who hasn’t said that 2018 has been an unprecedented year of events and has moved more quickly than ever before.
So once again we find ourselves – at holiday time. Thanksgiving and the December holidays are around the corner. Of course, you can choose to avoid them. You can miss out on the light and the kindness that seems to make people smile more often at one another during this season. You can be like a Grinch. You can close your heart, be resentful, overwhelmed, complain about commercialism, stay involved in political discussions, and the news.
Or … you can find what makes you feel grateful.
Using the power of gratitude, giving and receiving can be one of the most healing forces on our planet. Gratitude can balance all the devastation in the world we hear about each day. The holidays are a perfect time to create rituals like gratitude in meaningful ways to carry through the year.
It’s easy to forget that gratitude and appreciation are like an infinite cycle that includes giving AND receiving. Both are equally important.
Unlike children, who are more than ready with open arms to receive during the holidays, it’s not always as easy for women to “receive”. Whether it’s a gift from a friend, gifting yourself with a few minutes of downtime, truly appreciating all you do or having grateful, compassion for yourself when things may not go as “perfectly” or as well as you expect, open yourself to receiving. And being grateful.
If you already have a gratitude ritual this is the time of year to ramp it up and carry it through the rest of the year and into the New Year.
Inthe eBook A Blueprint for Happy, Resilient Parents, Teachers and Children Through the Magic of Heart-Thoughtful MindfulnessJan Rysdon and I wrote 24 easy- to- use strategies for empowerment, one of which is The Magic of 3,a great strategy to start on your own or with your family at the dinner table.
“Gratitude helps to deal with stress and to reevaluate challenging circumstances. Gratitude helps to shift negative mental thoughts.
Gratitude encourages kindness and thoughtful behavior. Gratitude can build social relationships and feelings of connectedness. It’s difficult to be upset and grateful at the same time. Gratitude helps to boost self-confidence and the happy chemicals in your body like serotonin. Who doesn’t want that?” The Magic of Three is great to do at the dinner table with your family.
How do you do it?
#1 Think of 3 things you’re grateful for from the previous day, that you anticipate for your new day, or perhaps for common everyday things. Remember to choose different things each day. You may want to have a theme. One day focus on what you’re grateful for about your body etc. “
Stay in the full cycle of gratitude and take it a step farther
- Not looking forward to attending a holiday event or family function? Think about 3-6 gratitudes about the people, the situation, or event. You can’t think about a negative thought and a positive one at the same time. Check in and see how you feel after you do that how do you feel? Keep going if you aren’t quite there yet. How many things can you appreciate about the timing, event, or people?
- Try this one: Write three things you’re grateful for giving (doing), have to do or should do – without resentment this holiday season. Then write three things you’re grateful for receiving. It may be setting a boundary, or where you said no to something that that gave you the gift of time, energy or a sense of peace.
I’m grateful to each of you. You make the world a better place,
Bonnie
P.S. As you do your holiday shopping, take a look at the Shop at Diamond Pathways.
There you’ll find unique gifts like oil diffuser bracelets, energy shifter audios, and more to uplift, inspire and support. I so appreciate you taking time to consider giving these gifts to a friend or yourself!
