Embracing the New Year with Gratitude

The advent of a New Year often prompts a time of reflection and resolution to change something in our lives. For some people, that change might mean taking action to achieve better health, improve a relationship, or learn a new skill. For others, it may be a resolution to change negative thought patterns into a more positive direction, and outlook.

Think of a moment you have stopped to listen to a favorite song or piece of music, watched a brilliant sky, or gazed upon someone you hold dear. The quality of that moment and others like it, connects us to something positive in the universe. A moment of gratitude.

Brother David Steindl-Rast, OSB and founder of A Network for Grateful Living, suggests gratitude is a state of happiness that recognizes, appreciates, and affirms the gift of something we experience outside ourselves. Taking time to stop, being fully present in the moment, to notice and appreciate all that surrounds around us. Focusing on what makes us feel alive, thankful for all things in life.

Gratitude offers a lens for developing a heightened appreciation and perspective that can redirect our focus toward grateful living in challenging times. Brother David Steindl-Rast encourages a practice of Stop, Look, Go.

• Stop – Set aside time each day to ‘turn off’ sources of noise, attention, distraction. To be quiet, be still.
• Look – Use all your senses to notice, become fully aware of all that is present, and experience the peace of that moment.
• Go – Do something to express or share your gratitude with others.

A Network for Grateful Living is a global non-profit organization founded in 2000 that offers a library of resources for inspiration such as articles, blogs, videos, eCourses, a curated poetry collection, audio recordings on the topic of grateful living; daily questions for reflection, and practices to support living our best lives. For more information, visit: https://gratefulness.org/.

Source: A Network for Grateful Living. https://gratefulness.org/  Retrieved on 11.16.21.

Curated by: Dale Adler