I have never been able to have a gratitude practice for longer than about a week. I know, clutch the pearls, a minister admitting she doesn't spend time every night in rapturous thanksgiving for every moment of the day. But here's the challenge I have... It always feels inauthentic. Sometimes I can drum up feelings of gratitude, and often they well up in me naturally, especially while I am in community or out in nature. For the most part though, laying in bed at night is not the time that I naturally feel gratitude for life. I mostly feel, well, sleepy.
I was talking to a fellow minister about how gratitude practices have never worked for me, and he made an interesting observation. Gratitude works best when it is paired with action. What did he mean by that? It's all well and good to be grateful for my home, or delicious meal, or safety or car or spouse or... fill in the blank. But how is my gratitude informing and directing the action that I take out in the world to ensure that everyone has access to these things to be grateful for them?
I had never thought of it that way before. Gratitude isn't just a habit that we dutifully buy into at the end of the day because studies show it's good for our health (although there are studies, and it is good for our health). Instead, gratitude is a precursor to action. Gratitude is a guidepost that directs us to where we can focus our time, energy, and attention, leading us to the action that best supports not only our lives individually, but also the collective experience as well.
Now, that conversation has inspired me to restart my evening gratitude practice. However, instead of mindlessly (or even mindfully) writing down the list of things that I am grateful for today (which always looks very similar to yesterday's list), I ask myself four questions. The first three come from Terri Cole's gratitude journal meditation on Insight Timer, and the last I developed from that delightful conversation with my colleague.
1. Who/what has inspired me today?
2. Who/what has brought me comfort today?
3. Who/what has brought me joy today?
4. What action is being inspired in me as a result of my gratitude?
So I guess I am a gratitude practicing gal after all. Will you join me?
Blessings,
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