NOVEMBER - Thankfulness
For many years now I have started my day off with a gratitude journal. It’s a simple but peaceful process. I get my coffee, sit in my chair, light a candle and open my journal for a new day. This simple act helps me to focus on the things that are important in my life. It helps me to be in alignment with my values and direction, and sets the tone for my day. With Thanksgiving approaching, I’ve naturally been thinking about gratitude and thankfulness in general, and I wanted to share some ideas with you to help you connect to your highest way of standing in the world. The best part is- it's tons of FUN!
New ways to think about GRATITUDE this month:
Start your day off with a gratitude journal, or do it before you go to bed at night- It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Just write one thing that you are grateful for and you can build on that as time goes on. I’ve also seen a lot of people do a “month of gratitude” on Facebook or other sites where they share what they are grateful for each day with their friends and family.
Gather some photos of your ancestors and light a candle in honor of them and be grateful for the life they have given you.
Honor your relationships, there are many ways to do this:
Send a note to a friend telling them how grateful you are to them and why.
Blow the energy of love and abundance into a stone and give a friend this gift with gratitude for them.
Send some flowers to a friend or pick one from your garden and bring it to them.
Get a relationship gratitude journal and work on this with your partner. We have these at The Enlightened Mind - gratitude journal area.
The act of holding your friendships and relationships in gratitude will bring you so much joy and will add something to their lives. People need to be appreciated and seen! This is so important.
THANKSGIVING TREE
One thing I do every year around Thanksgiving is I make a Thanksgiving Tree or a Thanksgiving Basket using natural elements like sticks and leaves. I write conversation builders on the leaves and attach them to the branches or place them in a basket. On Thanksgiving I have my tree or basket out and I ask everyone to take a leaf. We sit down to dinner and each person asks the question to themselves and shares it with the group at the table, along with their answer. This amazing tradition at home has really created a very special ritual at our table. It helps bring deep meaning to our dinner and it is a way to express things that would not normally be talked about. I have come to love this most about Thanksgiving, because my friends and family are truly sharing themselves, along with their meal. Please email me if you decide to do this and let me know how it changes your Thanksgiving dinner. shamamamma@gmail.com
Here are some basic instructions, but feel free to improvise and be sure to send me pics!
- Get a basket or bag and take a walk around your neighborhood and gather leaves (pick big ones that have room to write on)
- Clean leaves and dry them
- Get some markers, turn on some music, light a candle and start writing questions on the back of the leaves – be creative and inquisitive, but keep your guests in mind and remember what they will and won’t be open to answering
Some ideas of questions:
(you'll start to think of more and you can get your family involved by asking them to come up with questions as well.)
- Who supports you and why?
- What do you do to show your gratitude to those you love in small ways they may not know about?
- If you could sit next to anyone right now, who would it be and what would you tell them?
- Do you have anything left unsaid?
- Who do you connect to most at this table and why?
- What are you most grateful for?
- If you needed to share one thing with everyone at this table what would you say?
- What is your favorite memory with someone here?
- What is your greatest gift you share with this group?
- Who do you honor?
- If you wish someone else could be here today to sit with your table, who would it be?
- What are you most passionate about?
4. On Thanksgiving sit down with everyone and play the question game........
Again, please let me know if you try this and how it changes your Thanksgiving and your thoughts of gratitude.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving and a wonderful month full of Gratitude.
Blessings,
Lisa
