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Hey there, I read some posts on gratitude yesterday that really resonated with my spirit. And now's obviously the season to share. It's easy to be grateful when life is good. When you're harvesting the fruits of abundance. (Even so, with the busy-ness of our lives, we still don't take time to stop and acknowledge it all.) So what about being grateful when life isn't going as planned? ➡️ When you're hitting bumps in the road? ➡️ When you've made a "wrong" turn somewhere and gotten lost? ➡️ When the fruits of abundance seem to have withered and died? Significantly harder. And that's what makes this time of year rough for so many. In case that's you (now or in the future), here are a few takeaways from Henri Nouwen...
Look for gratitude in all your trials...Wanting "Not-This"“Somewhere we know that without silence words lose their meaning That without listening speaking no longer heals That without distance closeness cannot cure.” Boundaries & Rejection“When people show you their boundaries ("I can't do this for you") you feel rejected...part of your struggle is to set boundaries to your own love. Only when you are able to set your own boundaries will you be able to acknowledge, respect and even be grateful for the boundaries of others.” Distance & Death“Distance never separates two hearts that care, for memories span the miles and in seconds we are there. Whenever I start feeling sad because I miss someone, I remind myself how lucky I am to have someone to miss.” Delays & the Unknown“The word patience means the willingness to stay where we are, and live the situation out to the full in the belief that something hidden there will manifest itself to us.” Being Wronged"Resentment blocks action; gratitude lets us move forward to new possibilities. Resentment makes us cling to negative feelings; gratitude allows us to let go. Resentment makes us prisoners of our passions; gratitude helps us to transcend our compulsions. Resentment exhausts us by complicated jealousies and ambiguities, stirring up destructive desires for revenge. Gratitude takes our fatigue away and gives us new vitality and enthusiasm. Resentment entangles us in endless distractions, pulling us down to banal preoccupations. Gratitude anchors our deepest self beyond this world and allows us to be involved without losing ourselves." Disagreements“The hard truth is that all people love poorly. We need to forgive and be forgiven every day, every hour increasingly. That is the great work of love among the fellowship of the weak that is the human family.” Hardships“The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.” Rivalry & Jealousy"Through the spiritual practice of letting go of jealousy and bitterness and forgiving and affirming others, we can make rivals into friends, and competitors into companions on the way to true greatness. Our life is not our own to be defended, but a gift to be shared." Reconciling the Past"You may think about your life as a strong rock wall, resisting anyone and anything that tries to change it. Resentment makes us blind to God’s carving hand, but gratitude helps us recognize the process–that slowly but surely we are being formed into a beautiful work of art; That we are being prepared to be a person who can offer own own pains as a source of healing for others." And to wrap things up..."Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice. I can choose to be grateful even when my emotions and feelings are still steeped in hurt and resentment. It is amazing how many occasions present themselves in which I can choose gratitude instead of a complaint. The choice for gratitude rarely comes without some real effort. But each time I make it, the next choice is a little easier, a little freer, a little less self-conscious. There is an Estonian proverb that says: “Who does not thank for little, will not thank for much.” Acts of gratitude make one grateful because, step by step, they reveal that ALL is grace." ​ What can you be grateful for, that comes from a place where you usually wouldn't look? ​ Happy Thanksgiving, Dawn |
What are you unknowingly saying “no” to?
In just five weeks, we will be exactly HALFWAY through the year.
Take a sec to think about that list of things you wanted to accomplish when the year started.
I mean, the big things. The important things.
Have you been checking them off?
Are you excited when you look at how far you've come?
Or are you feeling overwhelmed by everything left to do?
Or are you already saying "Eh, I guess there's...
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If you’ve been with me for any amount of time, it probably won’t surprise you that I really like my calendar. Like really like.
Because of that, I get asked a lot of questions about time management, life hacks, and how to get stuff done without burnout or the trap of hustle culture.
Many of us handle all there is to do by writing a massive running list.
We keep adding tasks ...
Are you keeping promises to yourself?
Have you ever stopped to look at how you actually spend your time?
I'm not talking about the scheduled appointments on your calendar with other people. I know you show up for those. You have integrity in those areas.
I’m talking about your integrity with yourself.
I'm talking about the commitments you made to your own goals, your projects, or your life at the start of this week, this month, or ...
Do Life Together
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