Dynamic Appreciation
Much has been written these last years on the power of gratitude. From gratitude journals to meditations – from Oprah to The Dalai Lama to Dr. Sanjay Gupta – the health benefits, the emotional benefits and the spiritual benefits have been listed and proven to be very effective for the good of all humans. I myself devoted several weeks of this blog to the power of giving thanks – and its potential impact on our world. Many recommendations fall along the lines of write down 3 things you are grateful for each day – some say write down 5 things- others say write down as many things as you can think of… My mother was related to Emily Post and saying please and thank you is still rather automatic pilot for me whether I feel like doing it or not.
The feeling of gratitude can be created just sitting at your computer or pausing the mind chatter to feel the softness and loveliness of being grateful. It is encouraged for us to be thankful for everything – before labeling or judging it to be good or bad – just knowing that even the most challenging of situations brings with it an opening to the new – to the possible – to the invisible.
Dynamic Appreciation includes all of the above and something more…dynamic points to in every moment…as opposed to after the fact. Remembering a kind gesture two days later may provoke a thank you email or an actual mailed note – and that is good but it missed the moment. Noticing what we have to be grateful for – ie counting our blessings can feel like a to do list rather than the amazing moments in every day, in every life.
Dynamic Appreciation means we look in every moment for something to be grateful for – for something or someone to appreciate – including ourselves. In this now moment, I appreciate the ability to type – the power of the technology that allows for blogging – the photo above of that amazing, colorful creature that I have no idea of the name of…appreciating the little dog at my feet who is always happy to be near me – grateful for the love of my husband sitting in another room doing a crossword puzzle and smiling as I hustle and bustle around doing various things.
It works like this – you make the intention of dynamic appreciation no matter what happens – after you form that intention you take on the attitude of gratitude and anchor the feeling somewhere in the body – perhaps make a reminder in a post it note or marked on your calendar…then you begin to look – pausing in each moment to “see” with the eyes of gratefulness – to feel the feeling in your body of all is well and being grateful for it…dynamically. Appreciating yourself for taking this on – appreciating someone you love for just being in your life – and taking that appreciation out into the world of events and being grateful for whatever and whomever you see there…the UPS person who brings your Amazon order – the grocery store clerk who has a cheerful (or not) word for the day – your local postal employees who are definitely not as joyful as they used to be…just look – feel the feeling and then magnify it by sending it out…go ahead …make someone’s day.
And as we look out at the next few days, I am appreciating talent…someone sent me the attached video that suddenly touched me – not because I recognized all the faces- but the ones I did had such a gift of movement – it made my heart sizzle with joy. And then of course there is the up coming Super bowl and I am appreciating the endless giftedness of Tom Brady – patriot or buccaneer – he gives it all he’s got…So enjoy the clip – be your dynamic self and appreciate it all!
