This was originally posted to There's Beauty in Recovery last week... jump through to the site at the end of the excerpt to read more...

Mantra: “I release all that does not serve me. I harness all the good that lives within.”

One day a year, we dedicate our conversation and thoughts to all that we are grateful for and all that we have to give thanks. Just one day. For the rest of the 364 days, we go around lost in our pain and stories of suffering, forgetting how every minute of every day always, there are things to be grateful for are floating around, waiting to be caught and held close to our hearts. It’s easy to get caught up, our brain naturally leaning towards negativity or anger; we might forget the cherished words we spoke of the very thing we now detest, or we might find that our brains no longer tolerate what we once loved. But on that one day each year, we speak of our plentitude and our gratefulness. Why don’t we do this everyday?

To be grateful is to give thanks to all that is present in our lives. It is the turn of events that make us smile, the hugs that keep our heart warm, the laughter that keep our souls young. Some days it is gratitude for the plentitude of natural resources; the water that flows freely from a tap in the kitchen, the rain that lulls us to sleep at night, the sun that adds just another protective layer of warmth to our chilly days. Other days, there is gratitude in our desire to learn, in our ability to read, in our movement of limb and use of mind. From the smiles we receive from strangers to the long talks we have with those we love, gratitude can be found everywhere. Anywhere, any day, any time we can spot a few things in our day to send gratefulness towards.

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We have Gratitude Mondays here on the blog... what are some things you are grateful for?

xxoo

[Vancouver, BC when I ran the half marathon in 2013]