You'll also hear a lot of shoulds -- being grateful is good for your heart, grateful people are happier people, here's how you can practice gratitude...and so on. The "should" part may make you want to push the practice of gratitude away.
Try to hold on and sit with it for a minute.
We know that staying positive is one of the best approaches to life, but our culture holds up the negative. We compare how hard we're working, lament all the things we have to do or brood about the mistakes we are making. Yet, we rarely forgive ourselves and even more rarely talk in detail about how everything is going well.
What does this have to do with personal style?
For my client who found her husband because she felt beautiful and confident enough to date, it means her life is full of love. For my client who has fully stepped into her personal journey of discovery and off of the corporate track that was draining her essence, it means her life is richer in experience and opportunity. For my client who was called to go on-air and she had the right outfit to wear, it meant she got her 15 minutes.
For my own part, having defined my personal style reminds me on a daily basis who I want to be. When things go wrong, it is an anchor in a sea of turmoil allowing me to simply stay afloat.
In the last year, my life has had its challenges. I put my consulting business on hold while I attended to my daughter's illness. When I got my daughter's health back on track, my mother died. Either of these things could have derailed me.
And yet, I am full of gratitude. I didn't start out that way; I'm no Ghandi. I was angry I had to put the business on hold and heart-broken when my mother died. But when I think through all the luminous moments -- from the sublime to the ridiculous, as my mother used to say -- I am aglow.
My focus on self-care in the business has helped me practice self-care in daily life. Having outfits that feel wonderful simply feels wonderful. Knowing that the person I want to be is compassionate, fun and modern helps me swim back to that woman when I get pulled off-course by the current of life.
Practicing gratitude on a daily basis helps me perform my own course-correction. Whether it's flipping through my photos on Facebook or taking photos of the little things that bring me pleasure, I can re-engage with the joy of living. As the silly Yo Gabba Gabba song goes, "Try it -- you might like it!"
| WANT PIN-SPIRATION? Check out my Pinterest Board Gratitude to start your own course correction! |