This week I want to discusss gratitude. I also will institute a ‘gratitude break’ sometime between Tuesday’s and Friday’s Reminder Questions. When you see that entry, please take a few moments to acknowledge one person, place or object that you are thankful for. If you can’t think of anything immediately then write a mental letter to your parents thanking them for giving you a birthday. That is a wonderful place to start.

Practicing gratitude is very close to the idea of blessing people, particularly the practice of “blessing your enemies.” Gratitude is a genuine spiritual act. When you become grateful you acknowledge that there is a larger universe or Personn, than you and your situation, in the world. You acknowledge and accept your earthly place in the world. You acknowledge the kindness, help and concern of other people for you. Finally, you recognize your hope and the certainty of positive change, when you express gratitude, especially during difficult times.

When I practice gratitude regularly, my emotional load lifts. I can see my current struggles in a more reasonable light. I can clarify my responsibility in the difficult situation. I can also begin to see the other parties’ concerns and point of view. I will admit that practicing gratitude is a lifelong practice which requires effort on your part. You need to practice it, just like learning to journal, learning your creative skill or meeting a new friend and getting to know each other. However,time is on your side. You don’t have to know how to be grateful. All that you need right now is the willingness to be grateful. When you begin to give thanks everything else will fall in line.

When I’m focused on a difficult growing situation, I’m only interested in worrying about this one situation. I’m oblivious to anything else going on around me, even it it’s positiive. I’m fussing over how someone said, did or didn’t say something to me. I’m fussing over how painful I feel about it, including processing any other accompanying feelings. Finally, I’m not aware of the bigger picture (i.e. including lessons that I may need to learn, other parties that might need my help in dealing with this same situation and recognizing that I’m focused on the little things, while forgetting the big stuff.)

When I begin to give thanks for a difficult growing situation. I am acknowledging that I have very strong feelings about this situationn. I acknowledging that I need help, to understand what I can’t see or what I need to say thanks for in this unreasonable situation.

Part of the change that I go through, is that I’m allowing God to be God here. I am allowing myself to be human. I am making room for all of the parties to stop, pause, breathe and take a fresh look at the situation. Finally, I’m acknowledging that I can’t walk through this difficult growing situation by myself.

Giving thanks is more than just saying ‘thank you’ to God, others and yourself. It can potentially be very life-changing. Change can be scary. Acknowledging that I had some responsibility in the difficult situation takes courage and honesty. Finally, choosing to accept the situation as it really is also takes some effort. As giving thanks becomes easier, you will begin to see reasons to be grateful reveal themselves all over. You will become much more at ease with the practice, and will be an even more positive influence on people, than you already are.

Now let’s switch over to the subject of creativity and giving thanks. I know that I can be very impatient when I am creating a jewelry piece. What often bugs me is that I can’t make the piece as fast as I would like, because I need to review a technique or take a break (resting my eyes and hand) or I need to finish today’s session to and return to it tomorrow. When I stop and take a gratitude break: I can relax and let my body slouch for a bit. I quickly exercise my hands and eyes to knock out any pain or tension left in them. I can look at what I have accomplished in a more positive light. I can take responsibility for what I have done well, and better prepare for what I have left to learn.

In every action that I’ve described, I experience more freedom. When I look at the jewelry piece, I can see the good work I’ve done so far. I can leave that good work alone, rather than fussing over it. When I exercise my hands and eyes, my muscles relax and the tension leave. When I review a technique, I often discover that I actually remember more about it than I thought I did. I feel relieved, reassured and ready to return to the next work session. When I give thanks for the piece, I become more aware of what I can and can’t do with this piece,no matter what the end result turns out to be. When I give thanks, I become aware of how good the piece looks, I prepare to post it and tag it. I often record new ideas that have come to me, while I was finishing up the piece and the session.

Giving thanks isn’t limited to just serious situations. I chose a common situation that creatives can recognize, giving thanks at several points throughout the creative development process. What makes gratitude fun for me is that I am allowed to go on a ‘treasure hunt’ for people, places and objects that I can say thank you for. I might take this trip entirely in my head. I might walk around my living space and give thanks for my home. I might watch my pets and give thanks for them and their quirky, but endearing ways. Finally I can give thanks to God for one of my positive character traits. Remember that the more you practice giving thanks, the more you will want to give thanks.

Now, I’d like to give you some suggestions for giving thanks. If you are already practicing this discipline, good for you. You can skip this part and find the suggested article at the end of the article. If you are just starting to practice gratitude, please read through these suggestions and decide which one you can practice for one week. Finally for those of you who have some knowledge of giving thanks, please continue to read along with us, as you might discover new ways to give thanks, in addition to the exercises that you use now.

Here are five gratitude suggestions:

1) Call a friend or colleague and thank them for something they did for you in the past month.
2) Write a simple prayer that you can easily memorize and practice when you walking down the street. (i.e. Thank You Universe for this job. Thank You God for a beautiful morning)
3) Write a list of what you are thankful for. I would like you to include at least three items. If you want to pick one from the people category, the place category and the object category, that’s a good formula to follow.
4) Most people follow a spiritual discipline of sorts, that involves some type of giving thanks prayer or ritual. Take this information about giving thanks and add it to your regular meditation time. Create a simple ritual that works for you.
5) For those who are having trouble getting started here, stop, look in a mirror and take a deep breath. What do you see? Pick two reasons for giving thanks that you can see in the mirror. This may feel awkward, but it will increase your awareness of yourself and of the beauty and good in and around you for which you can learn to give thanks.

That’s enough exercises for now. Choosing and practic one of thess exercises for a week, and watch your perspective change. regularly practicing one of the exercises for a week will change your perspective. I challenge you t experiment with givng thanks exercise or create on of your own when you see the Gratitude Break title on the blog this week.

Have a creative and thankful week!

For additional information on this topic:
www.writerseye.com/creativitycoaching/index.shtml
Look for the article titled: Q and A About Gratitude

 

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