Gratitude

Nov 26, 2016

"When we focus on our gratitude, the tide of disappointment goes out and the tide of love rushes in." - Kristin Armstrong

As November draws to a close, I find it easy to be grateful for many things in my life. My home, family and friends, the yoga community I have found at Balance Yoga and the students I teach in Essex, my health, and a reliable car; the list seems endless.

This isn't always the case. At times I am frustrated, afraid, angry; gratitude is the farthest thing from my mind. I have experienced a lot of changes and a fair number of challenges in recent months (adjusting to grad school, living with my in-laws, being newly married, losing a family member).

If you haven't noticed in my classes, the theme for this month was gratitude. I asked my students to think of something that they are grateful for, and suggested that they be thankful that their pants didn't have a hole in them (or remembered deodorant, or that their neighbor remembered deodorant- you get the idea) if they were having trouble bringing something to mind. It elicited laughs each time I said this, but I think that it has helped me to deepen my practice of gratitude. Start with something small, and go from there. There is always something to be grateful for.

In love and gratitude,

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