Gratitude Is A Perspective.
It’s a way of looking at life and the world around you.
When we look at our days with a perspective of gratitude, suddenly, we have everything to be grateful for. When we view the world through a lens of gratitude, we subconsciously stockpile a collection of positivity, priming our brains for happiness and our hearts for connection and openness.
Having a perspective of gratitude doesn’t mean that the tough things disappear, and it doesn’t mean feelings like sadness, fear, frustration or disappointment are “bad,” but rather it gives us a way to reframe those things in a way that makes them easier to manage. And, when we arrive at challenging places already armed with a running mental list of things to be thankful for, it simply changes how heavy those challenges feel.
The holiday season kicks off with Thanksgiving— a time to gather and be thankful. We hold hands and circle around the table, counting our blessings and intentionally naming things for which we are thankful. We hang seasonal “Be Grateful” and “Tis The Season for Gratitude” decor— as we should! It’s a beautiful and needed reminder.
But why limit gratitude to a season?
Why not celebrate abundance, togetherness, and all the many fortunes we enjoy on a daily basis, all year long?
Of course there is a specialness that comes with the timing and season of Thanksgiving and Christmas. There is a mood and ambiance in the air that can’t be upheld or recreated throughout the year. That is part of the magic of the holiday season. But maybe there is a way to celebrate gratitude in all seasons by simply shifting our perspective and choosing to focus not on what’s wrong or missing, but instead on all that we have that makes us so very lucky every single day.
Nature, family, morning coffee at the push of a button, our homes, friendly co-workers, reliable transportation, warm meals, good conversations— these are things not available to so many that most of us are afforded on a near daily basis! The choice to make these things the focus of our days rather than the onslaught of negative, nagging nuisances we could focus on instead makes all the difference.
From your friends at Prism, may you count your many, many blessings this holiday season and after. We are grateful for you and the opportunity to serve you and be a part of your community.