Rediscover Gratitude

Written by Barb Greenberg, excerpt from Rediscovering the Holidays

We all show our gratitude in different ways. A dear friend was grateful she had survived her divorce and wanted to do something special for her supportive friends. Since she’d already had a bridal shower, she decided to give herself a divorce sprinkle!

If you can’t feel grateful right now, that’s just fine. It’s vital to honor all your emotions, not just the shiny pretty ones, but those that are deeper, darker shades. Acknowledging emotions is the first step to healing them, and it is a powerful and respectful gesture to yourself.

Keep things simple. Be grateful you haven’t lost your mind and can still speak in complete sentences when absolutely necessary. Be grateful you are only going through one box of kleenex a day instead of three.

Begin to notice moments of comfort: a call from a dear friend that lifts your spirits, the cat curled up on your lap, the pattern of the sunshine through the window. Begin to record these in a journal. With time your list will grow, your gratitude will deepen, and your heart will heal.  Print out the Rediscover Gratitude – Questions for Reflection.