Become Present | Grateful Perspective – Day 1

Last year, I reviewed Kristi Nelson’s ‘Wake Up Grateful: The Transformative Power of Taking Nothing For Granted‘ and have been wanting to delve into some of the practices she recommends in her book. I decided to look at how a grateful perspective can lead me to go deeper into gratitude. Today, is Day 1 of this 7-day Grateful Perspective Series that I’m sharing here. On Day 1, I learn how to become present to what’s within and around me.

Perspective helps us to remember that beauty and heartache coexist, as do grief and gratitude, joy and sadness. The dividends of perspective are reaped long term, arriving when our gratefulness accounts are near empty.”

~ Kristi Nelson, Wake Up Grateful

Become Present

To embrace the present moment is the best way to live a conscious and grateful life.

I Embrace The Present Moment

I stop and reflect on the present moment and become fully present to it.

I stop and reflect on the present moment. Savouring it. Allowing myself to listen to the sounds around me, identifying each one. I reflect on my body. The crick in my neck, the tiredness of sitting at the computer almost the whole day.

My feelings in the moment are peace, joy and gratitude for a day that’s gone well. A productive and creative day.

I become aware of the sounds around me. The sound of the fan. The sound of the clock ticking away. The sound of rain outside.

“I close my eyes and listen to the voices of the rain.”

-Robin Wall Kimmerer

I Focus on My Breath

Pausing for stillness I am aware of my breath. I place my hands on my chest, breathing in and breathing out mindfully. I become aware of something that I take so much for granted – the one thing that’s keeping me alive. My breath!

I promise myself that I will stop and pause more often during the day. So that, I become more aware of every breath and to enjoy the present moment in it’s completeness. To be grateful for life and breath and all the moments that make up my day!

As you can see, this short pause to become present to feelings, sounds, and breath can easily be done through the day. It will centre you and help you relax and focus on what’s important. You will become more mindful of the abundance of the present moment.

Are you ready to try out this simple gratitude practice?