and how a gratitude practice can bring more joy to your life. The definition of gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness. Benedictine monk, Br. David Steindl-Rast, suggests that two qualities belong in our basic definition of gratitude. The first is appreciation: You recognize that something is valuable to you, which has nothing to do with its monetary worth. The second quality Br. David mentions is that gratitude is gratis: freely given to you. Robert Emmons, perhaps the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, also argues that gratitude has two key components: “First, it’s an affirmation of goodness. We affirm that there are good things in the world, gifts and benefits we’ve received.” In her book, Living in Gratitude: A Journey That Will Change Your Life, Angeles Arrien writes: “Gratitude is essentially the recognition of the unearned increments of value in… Read More »
Put Down That Cell Phone!
This past weekend we took a vacation to California to see all our west coast friends and celebrate LOVE at a gorgeous wedding tucked into an apple orchard in the mountains of San Luis Obispo. It was so beautiful. I did not work for 5 days, I did not respond to email, go on social media (except to post photos every evening) and basically shut down my brain. It was exactly what I needed. As someone who can feasibly work 24/7, taking time off is IMPERATIVE for me. I also celebrated my 48th trip around the sun with dozens of my besties and it was just the celebration I needed. While we are patiently waiting for spring to appear here in the Northeast, we can think about more ways to bring mindfulness to our daily life. Yes, the flowers are blooming (and they are GORGEOUS) but do you miss it because… Read More »
Mindful Morning Routines
Are you someone who is basically pulling your hair out as you leave the house every morning, attempting to get your kids to school, you to work without losing your mind? Some days are like that in my home- I have a son who moves s l o w l y and likes to sleep in, but also likes to watch his shows in the morning. SO, getting ourselves out the door in a timely fashion, to school on time is very challenging. In speaking with many other parents, this seems like a tough time of day for a lot of us out there. I’ve been reading and learning some new tips and tools that can help ease the morning routine challenges and get you out the door with your family calm, peaceful and mindful. There have been days when we leave the house on our walk to school and… Read More »
