What is your dominant emotion right now in this era of your life?
RAGE (thanks, perimenopause)
But if I dig just a teensy bit deeper, it’s contentedness.
And that is borne of gratitude.
I’ve always been That One.
You know, that one…the friend who is almost always happy, the one who is agreeable, amenable, and annoyingly positive. I am the friend who clutches onto hope and tries to uplift everyone around her.
Why?
How?
Like most things that aren’t automatic — like breathing and blinking — it’s a practice.
Raise your hand if you are sick and tired of yoga teachers telling you everything is a practice.
Go on, hands up…
We do it because it’s TRUE.
It doesn’t always come easily and it’s not foolproof…but I promise it will work to some degree. And isn’t any shred of contentedness better than none?
To explore gratitude, you first have to appreciate what is around you. For me. being able to surround myself with love is a huge thing. I have a partner who loves me unflinchingly, unconditionally, and without limits. For someone who did not have that for a HUGE chunk of her life, it is incredibly uplifting, and whenever the intrusive thoughts start knocking, I simply remember how loved I am.
Now your turn.
Think about the presence in your life that you are most thankful for, be it kids, pets, friends, partner, and just think about that face for a few breaths. Now think about how seeing that face makes you feel, and simply say to yourself, “I am thankful for ___” and see if that doesn’t elevate your mood.
And that’s all there is to it!
Now…name your emotion.
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