Resiliency Challenge for the month: Practice gratitude daily.
Gratitude changes our thinking patterns, which can lower stress and increase resilience. Since this is what Resiliency Revitalizers is all about, I would like to give you a challenge.
Today begins the Christian season of Lent; a prelude to Easter. Islam’s Ramadan, the Jewish Days of Awe, Christian Lent, all are times of self-reflection. Often these times are “set apart” and have an action item to use (prayer, fasting, reading) to help us remember this sacred space.
Starting today, March 1st, I ask you to join me in a 40 day practice of gratitude, love and silence. If Lent is part of your tradition, you might use this as your Lenten practice. Please know that Lent does not need to be part of your faith rhythm in order to jump into this experience. It is called 10-3-5.
Here are the details:
1) Every morning acknowledge 10 things for which you are grateful. Practice engaging with each one of these instead of simply naming 10 things quickly in order to get through the exercise. (I tend to do this, so I suspect I am not the only one. 😉
2) Send love to three people who are presently annoying/angering/scaring/etc. you.
3) Spend 5 minutes in silence listening for direction from your soul, for the day.
As the month progresses, check in with yourself. How does this impact you? Your body? Your soul? Your mind? In your experience, is gratitude the factor for change? Or the 5 minutes of silence? How is it to send love to those who impact you negatively? I would love to hear your experience as the month goes on.
As always,
Peace,
Andrea
Andrea Tatley 