Tools for Enjoying Heart-Centered Gratitude

Dear Exchange Community,

They say you teach what you need to learn, and I think the same is true of writing. I am certain that much of what I wrote in my book, Heart-Centered Teaching Inspired by Nature, were things I needed to strengthen in myself. In each chapter of the book, I invite readers to utilize tools for moving into a more joy-filled, heart-centered way of being. Recently I went back to the book and tried this exercise called “Using Gratitude”:

“I invite you to begin cultivating an intentional attitude of acceptance – the first step in learning to live with more gratitude. For three days, simply observe your life with no judgment about how it ‘should’ be. Whenever you find yourself judging something as ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ gently remind yourself to simply focus on what is happening. ‘Just the facts’….Each night, write down some of your observations. Re-read your observations, and if you find you’ve used judgment words in your writing, change them to more neutral, descriptive words. [By the way, acceptance does not mean approval. When we accept reality and don’t waste too much energy complaining, we have more reserves of strength to help us take action and make positive change when needed.]

After the first three days of acceptance, spend the next three days looking for reasons to be grateful. I invite you to see this as a light-hearted challenge. Each evening for those three days, write down at least ten reasons you found to be grateful that day .Can you find especially interesting or unexpected reasons to feel grateful? This six-day process is a technique you can use every so often to help keep your gratitude tool extra sharp.”

After doing this exercise for six days, I did find it helpful. I offer it to you in hopes you might, too.

Here’s to a day of self-renewal,
Nancy Rosenow, Exchange Publisher, on behalf of the entire Exchange Team

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