Sunday, September 21, 2008

The Gratitude Experiment

March 31st, 2008

Volume 1, Issue 7


"Your only obligation in any lifetime is to be true to yourself."     - Richard Bach


Gratitude:

Pronunciation: \'gra-te-tud, -tyud\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French or Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin gratitudo, from Latin gratus grateful

Date: 1523

Definition: the state of being grateful; thankfulness

Why am I including the dictionary entry on gratitude?

Simple, it's one of my favorite words.

I find there is so much power in some words, not to mention how we use them and with what emotion we express them.

Do you have a favorite word?

I used to think that my favorite word was "Chocolate."

I decided a few years back, however, that I was more "grateful" to have "chocolate" in my life than the word "chocolate" could adequately express.

So, why gratitude?

When I began my journey towards becoming a happier, healthier and generally more amicable person in general, I had the opportunity to work and learn under a mentor named Gail.  I don't know why I chose her or why we found our way towards each other, but she taught me the very valuable lesson of "gratitude" in the 10 months that I worked with her.

Gratitude saved me from the changes that I saw in my life.  Gratitude helped me to understand that just because people take on different roles in your life as you grow and change that it doesn't mean that they need to completely disappear from your life.

Gratitude helped me to understand that there is a world out there that really needs my, and your, help desperately.

Gratitude helped me to see all around me the miracles that surround us each and every day that we take a breath and get out of bed in the morning.

My symbol for gratitude is a spiral, similar to the shape of a Nautilus shell.  Every time I see the symbol for gratitude, I consider myself blessed by someone or something greater than me and convinced of my journey to help others heal and find their own way in this world of ours.

What I propose.

I offer to you the Gratitude Experiment.

Since today is the last day of the month of March and tomorrow begins the 30 days of April, let us use the next 30 days to find things to be grateful for.

The month of April heralds in the Springtime and with it, a season of growth and new beginnings.

Take each day of April and find something or 5 somethings to be grateful for.  Every day.

Find a book or journal or open a new document on your computer and challenge yourself to write down 5 things that you are grateful for that day.

It can be something big or small but whatever it is, acknowledge it and be grateful.

Let your whole body experience the feeling of being grateful and see where it takes you.

Just for fun.

Since gratitude is my favorite word, I'm going to take this experiment and run with it.

I'm starting a blog where I can chronicle my experiences for anyone who is not convinced that I struggle and survive and, believe it or not, can ultimately be successful in this thing called life.

I am far from perfect and I need everyone to see that because within my imperfections lies the chance for me to improve myself and the world that I live in.

Gratitude has taught me that.

I am going to use my blog to post my own personal Gratitude Experiment.  You can see how I use the power of this one simple word in my life.

I hope to inspire you to look at your own life through different eyes and find the power of gratitude in your life.

I'm calling it "Annette's Truth."  Let's see if I can live up to that name!




(c)  Annette Nack, Bee Balanced Health & Wellness

This article was first published March 31st, 2008


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