Expanding on some ideas that were in the “Notice…Appreciate”  post…to help remind me to follow some specific steps that might lead to a more ongoing sense of appreciation and  gratefulness…and so for me to take a moment, several times a day…and to…

(As in all of my posts, the ” image pages”  in each post often “speak” for themselves…there’s often no need to read the actual explanations…those are my attempts to take the “intuitive” level of the ideas in and on the images and put them into words…)

Have you ever thought you understood what seemed like a simple idea, but then as you thought more about it, realized there’s more to it than you might have suspected? Well, this idea of  “Appreciate…be grateful” seems to be like that for me…and so, this post is an ongoing draft as I try to gain a deeper understanding of how to nurture that ability… and to anyone reading this….do you have any other ideas or suggestions that you could add?

And so…

to pause: take a breathe, come back to this moment right now

to really notice “it”: … look…listen…feel…taste…think…sense…to stay with each one for a few seconds (maybe all senses, maybe only one or two…depends on the time)

to appreciate it: for how special it may be in it’s very own way

to be grateful:  for having that particular “thing” or “sense” in my life.

And sometimes… if I have time and am in the mood to reflect, perhaps even include the bigger picture, in the scheme of things, for why I’m grateful to have that. And maybe even to expand beyond that to a sense of  gratefulness for the many people or aspects of nature that have lead to me having access to it. (for example…a single bite of toast…there are probably 1000’s of people, all over the world who had a part in that one bite:  growing of ingredients, processing and transporting the ingredients, baking, packing, transporting and selling…and expand to include nature, the earth, dirt, sun, rain… and to recognize and feel connected and  grateful for their efforts)

And so: for me in this moment….

• look/see things that are special…right this moment in front of me:   the sun shining through the window,  a pretty bougainvillea flower, the leaves on the tree, a letter from my  94 year old aunt, the “be grateful” card taped to the monitor (and as I pause after each one… to appreciate….and then be grateful for having that and for the connections to others who participate in it’s “creation”)
• listen/hear:  the pretty fountain outside, the commuter train going past taking people where they need to go, the washing machine doing the work for me instead of having to wash clothes by hand, the watering system keeping the lawn pretty and green (then appreciate,  be grateful )
• touch: a comfortable supportive chair, a keyboard that fits with my fingers, a warm flannel shirt, soft slippers, body parts that mostly work and feel okay
• taste/smell: rich strong coffee (then appreciate,  be grateful )
• relationships: my loving dog, my husband having fun with his brother in Colorado, my kind, loving, creative, blossoming daughter, my dear friend in Australia,  that nice woman at the pharmacy,  thinking about people I love and nurture, and who nurture me back, thinking of people who might speak in whispers  and have moments of relief when hearing kind words from “strangers”, people around the world helping each other  (then appreciate, and then be grateful)
• a warm heart: access that sense of warmth in me…. thankful that I have people and relationships that I nurture and who nurture me, thankful that so much has gotten so much better for some of the  people in my life than it was a few years ago.  (then appreciate,  be grateful )
• presence: whatever that might be for each one of us…calm, a greater purpose, hope…whatever positive, or potential positive, that might be present in this moment, no matter how small it might be. (then appreciate,  be grateful )

And so today, and in the following days, to practice taking moments…

to pause, notice, appreciate and be grateful,

in whatever way each one of us is able to do that…

link to pdf copy of  “Appreciate…Be grateful” bookmarks: (click link, may be slow to open)

Here’s a slight revision…a pretty page, that I just made. How fortunate we all are, to have been open to receiving kindness from others, including people we may  have thought were strangers.. : )  I love this idea…thank you so much to the person who wrote it….

Some lines from the end of a poem by Pat Cegan, Source of Inspiration:

Are there any ideas from others? Are there ways that you nurture these qualities during your own day? I’d love to hear other people’s suggestions, strategies, ideas etc….