Sunday 21 April 2013

The Art of Gratitude


When I began writing weekly gratitude posts the idea of posting for 52 weeks scared me. I didn't think I could do it. And I didn't think I did gratitude well.

I was grateful. But for the big things mostly. And when I needed to be. It was something I was working on. Gratitude wasn't a mindset for me. But that's what it's become.

My first real lesson in gratitude came eight years ago when my health was suffering and I was desperately eliminating foods from my diet and cursing my body for the pain I was in every day.

During that time {although I always believed I would find healthy again} I realised I was much less than grateful for my body and not at all grateful for the {lack of} food choices I now had.

My amazing health practitioner suggested my body may  {most definitely would} digest food more easily if I gave thanks for it first. If I was grateful for food. This was an awakening of sorts for me - I realised that I often mindlessly ate, and I simply expected food to be available.

Slowly and mindfully, I changed that attitude. I began by eating my food slowly {one bite at a time}, and really tasting it. I gave thanks before I ate - offering gratitude not just for the food itself but for the nourishment it would bring to my body. I began to cook more mindfully too - conscious of choosing seasonal produce, conscious of the way I cooked my food and I became more adventurous with my cooking style as I steered myself toward whole foods, fresh foods and less grains.

And while this is probably where my gratitude journey began, it took taking part in the 52 Weeks of Grateful for gratitude to align with my heart.

Gratitude has moved from practise to habit to almost effortless. It's taken time. But it's now part of how I think.

And I've come to believe that gratitude is in every moment of every day. If we choose to look for it.

xx


Do you practise gratitude? What are you most grateful for today?

{Linking with the 52 Weeks of Grateful. I've posted and linked up for more than 52 weeks now. Each week I love reading the grateful posts. I've discovered such wonderful blogs and learnt so much about gratitude from this beautiful community over here. For that, I'm grateful xx}

{Oh and I'm creating a gratitude blog roll. So if you're a blogger who posts on gratitude or we've met via the 52 Weeks of Grateful, please let me know in the comments below or via Facebook. I'd love to add you to my list. Elisa xx}


12 comments:

  1. This is beautiful Elisa, what an incredible start to becoming a more grateful person! I really love this idea and might have to go check it and join along too!

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  2. I am a super fast eater, barely tasting my food most of the time. I'm at my fastest lately due to my little bubba newborn threatening to squeak and wake, so I'm shovelling my food it to get it while it's hot. I have heard that we should eat more slowly before, but never though to of it in terms of gratitude. I think that being grateful for my food will help me to slow down.

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  3. Love reading these posts, it's so refreshing. I have started now as well now .. http://www.fablelanestudio.com/2013/04/snippets-of-our-week-gratefulness.html?m=0

    I look forward to checking out your blog roll.
    Bec

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  4. I think I found you through gratefuls (and I'm grateful I did)
    I'm a sporadic grateful poster at the moment - hoping to be better!
    I too am more aware of my food choices lately and am slowing down my eating...I'm always grateful for good food
    x

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  5. i agree with what you write about the changes from practice to habit to effortless - i now have moments of gratitude every day, reactions to situations where i slip into gratitude after 2 seconds of heading into pain or anger - it helps me let things go now.

    food / eating is one of the last areas where mindfulness and gratitude have not yet happened!! xx

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  6. Hmm... I've never really considered myself a mindless eater before... but you know what? I think I am. I've not ever thought of giving thanks for food, or the fact that such a simple action might just have an impact of my body - and my mind. Certainly worth contemplating... I love how you get me to reflect on the simplest of things, Elisa. Thank you. X

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  7. I love this idea that to heal yourself, you first had to love yourself. What an amazing thing you've done! Kellie xx

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  8. Wow, how lucky were you to get a health practitioner who recognised the power of gratitude! You gotta be grateful for that. And yes. 53 weeks of grateful have had quite a big impact on me, too. I started doing it just for fun and now i find myself going thorough the week and always looking for things to be grateful for.

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  9. That's amazing stuff Elisa. I don't practice as such...but maybe I do informally. I am always quietly thanking the world for my little girls for example. Glad to hear it has helped you so much. xx

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  10. This is great Elisa, I totally struggle with mindful eating. It's something I really have to work on.
    I'm also noticing much more gratitude since taking part in this project, and I love it! x

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  11. You are so right, Elisa, about the huge difference being grateful makes. Being grateful brings joy where there was depression too..just a different mindset about everything and I think it attracts more good things too!

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  12. Elisa,

    I love this post, I've read it a few times already on different days. You know where to find me for gratitude posts. No 16 just up! Nat x

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Thank you for your words and support. I'm so glad you stopped by xx