2020 The year of gratitude, really?!
It's been quite the year, right?! Let's be honest it would make for an entertaining movie if it wasn't our actual lives. This year has affected all of us in big, small, and really unimaginable ways. These experiences seems to have put gratitude further out of reach this year. I mean, what could possibly be great in a year that the world has changed so drastically in so many ways? There have been lay-offs, business closures, the simple things we used to do, not seeing or spending time with friends & family, and let's not forget the joys of virtual school! So, maybe we should call this the year that gratitude just couldn't be found.
But, wait, is that true? Have the things we have to be grateful for gone missing? Have we built a convincing case in our heads that this is just a horrible year that we are waiting to end?! When January 1, 2021, comes, do we believe that the world will reset itself and our hearts will again see and feel the gratitude of our lives? Is it possible that 2020 actually could hold more gratitude than previous years? I know this sounds crazy but go with me for a second. I get it; a lot of this year hasn't felt good and hasn't been good but is there more? Please tell me there's more?? This can't be how the story or even the year ends, right?
My very first children's book called 'The Gratitude Game' was released in October of this year along with the Gobble (turkey) Gratitude Jar as the perfect component to bring gratitude to life inside of your home. This project has been on my heart for so many years and came to light in 2020 in the middle of Covid. I could feel the energy of excitement from some about returning the focus to gratitude, and I could also sense the 'screw gratitude, not this year' sentiments from others.
Let me be the first to say I get it! I wrote 'The Gratitude Game' because gratitude has been a teacher and friend who has taught me a lot about really seeing life. I am passionate about empowering children and adults to see life in a way that will serve them well throughout their lives. The tagline that is found throughout the book is, "Look for it!" It's true, the statement about seeing the glass half full or half empty. How do you see this year? Is it possible to see the same glass we've been staring at with new eyes? Are we a million miles away from half full, or is it possible we could be moments away?
What would happen if we make today a thank you? What if we pause our auto-pilot and see and feel today? What if we look for all the things we can say "Thank you" for? One of the pages in 'The Gratitude Game' books says, "Wow! I have been looking at things through the wrong lens. I almost missed the good because I was focusing on the parts that I don't like." Does this resonate with your soul? It does with mine. I have missed a lot of the good this year because I haven't made a choice to "Look for it!" often enough.
Do we dismiss gratitude as Pollyanna, too much work, or just a buzz word around Thanksgiving? Would life look feel different if we chose to look through a different lens? If gratitude is the word, appreciation is the underbelly. When we miss gratitude, we miss the appreciation of life. I don't know about you, but I don't want to miss the good because I am focused on the parts that I don't like.
So, what happens when we "Look for it?!" Well, the book says that we find it! What do you think? Is that true, or is that just a cute line in a children's book, something for children but not adults who know the reality of life? I have been 'Looking for it!" and you know what I'm finding it. It's been more challenging this year for sure, but the reminder that gratitude is simply appreciating the people, things and experiences of my daily life makes it somehow more tangible to see.
I needed this reminder, and maybe you do too? When you find appreciation, you'll find gratitude. What are 10 things that make your heart smile? Write them down and feel the appreciation of them. Gratitude is home when it is felt in your heart. So, yeah, I think 2020 is the year of gratitude. Not because it has been easy or overabundant in blessings, but because in the devoid of our ordinary lives, it has given us a chance to appreciate the simple things we all too often take for granted. Don’t miss the gift of today and the opportunity to appreciate life. Not because it is perfect, but because there is abundance in so many of the places, we have seen lack for far too long.
2021 will be here before we know it but let's be honest, that's just a calendar flip. A change doesn't come with the start of a new year; a change comes when we make one. We are in this together, and just like 'The Gratitude Game' book reminds us, "We don't need it to be easy, we just need it to be worth it. This is worth it!" I'm thankful to be on the journey with you. To remind each other, we aren't alone, and we truly are better together.
Remember, Gratitude will never give you a pass or fail grade but will always say “Welcome back!” and remind you to “Look for it!” again. Let's collectively make today a "Thank you!" and see where it takes not only us but our children as well. 💕