Whoa, 2020 has been a ride so far, hasn’t it?

We all have been affected by the global pandemic whether we live in a large city, tiny village or in the middle of the jungle. The events of the first half of the year have been disruptive, unsettling, and chaotic to say the least and we all remain tense, waiting for the next plot twist or unexpected turn of events.

I want to take a moment to highlight the importance of remembering gratitude in the middle of all the chaos. While people argue over the necessity of masks and social distancing, huge anti-racism protests continue to take place globally. Political agendas are questioned and reframed, amidst all of the critical debate that rages on through media, social media, and within our own community circles, it is still paramount to your mental, emotional, and physical health to step back and find some perspective and calm.

Finding things to be grateful for can help you to do that.

Gratitude is important whether we’re going through good times or bad times.

The problem is that gratitude can seem elusive when times are tough, for obvious reasons.

I believe that gratitude is a choice. You have to choose gratitude, and keep on choosing it in every moment of your day. You have to make gratitude become natural as breathing. You have to make gratitude a part of your existence.

Consider this:

What if we are at a moment in time where we get to rewrite not only our personal history but the history of the world?

What if our global community is on the edge of a huge shift in terms of the way we each live day to day?

I believe that we are being called to consider the way we act and interact with, including the Earth and mother nature.

And if all that sounds too mighty and intangible to you, let’s envisage it on a personal level.

You get to choose how you think. You get to choose to use this time to redirect your thoughts and control your energy. You have the power, as each of us does, to shift your perception and reinforce your mental strength.

Fear is a great drainer, and we are surrounded by it at the moment.

It’s not about denying that there are grave and life-changing events going on. It’s about refusing to be ruled by the negative energy associated with that; You get to be a sovereign being regardless of the opinions, thoughts, judgements of others. Your power, freedom and independence lie in understanding that you create your reality.

I’m going to share with you some of the ways that I experience gratitude in my everyday life. Sometimes when I start very simple, the reasons for feeling grateful just grow and grow and grow until I cannot believe I ever took anything for granted!

NATURE:

I am grateful for waking up and seeing the sunshine streaming on the walls. It makes me feel happy that the world is still spinning and the sun is still rising. The birds are still singing and building nests and the plants are still growing, blooming, and producing fruit and flowers.

The stars still shine in the infinite sky, the rain still falls and the wind still blows. This makes me feel grateful overall for nature and all the tiny miracles it performs every single day.

I might take a walk and feel incredible euphoria at the smell of rain in the air, or the warm breeze on my face. If I’m lucky enough to be by the ocean, I will stop and stare for a long time at the magnitude of the waves crashing and falling on the shore.

I then start to feel immense gratitude for things I normally take for granted.

HEALTH:

Of course this is different for everyone, but I like to think we can all find something that is working well for us in a tangible way. I feel grateful for the flexibility in my limbs, for my eyesight, for my hearing, for my ability to taste and touch.

I feel blessed to be able to go for a run, to stretch up and down and touch my toes, to feel the softness of my skin. I like to revel in every detail of my good health, whatever it is in the moment and express endless gratitude for it. Even if you have something ailing you, find what is going right and express thanks for it.

COMMUNITY:

My friends and family are my life and I thank the Universe for them every single day. The quarantine actually nudged me to get in touch with some people I hadn’t spoken to for a long time!

I am grateful for the chance to reconnect and unite across towns and countries with a huge variety of friends and loved ones and also with those I do not know but feel connected to through the power of the Internet.

In many ways, the pandemic has brought us closer together and more united than before. Even if your own community is small, perhaps it’s just a handful of people or your significant other, the importance of connection is vital.

Connection is love and love is the fabric of our existence. When you connect and relate to those who feel this, you contribute to a peaceful world, one that looks for solutions instead of problems.

You can start your gratitude with these simple things and as you get better at feeling grateful in your everyday life, you will realize this is a very personal practice. Sometimes gratitude is simply an overwhelming sensation as you walk into a particular room, or sip that first coffee in the morning, or smile at a passerby.

Don’t feel constrained by trying to find something you “should” be grateful for that you can easily define. Try to feel your way into gratitude instinctively.

So remember, smile and be grateful, even if the world seems to be telling you not to.

Do it anyway.

We need you here whole, happy, and vibrating at your highest frequency.