Natural Gratitude

Is there anything more gorgeous than the fall colors of nature? When we see beauty, our hearts open and gratitude naturally spills forth. We can also cultivate a deeper connection to gratitude through mindfulness, reaping benefits like reduced stress, growing joy and deeper appreciation for those in our lives.

I invite you to take a few moments the next time you witness beauty and consciously pause to notice what happens in the body when it registers beauty. Then, invite this response to grow and linger in your heart, mind and body.

When we align our hearts, mind and body, seeming miracles unfold. And when we focus on the beauty around us, the subtle and magical wonders of life seep into our heart and experience, leading to a more fulfilling and rewarding life.

Actively cultivating gratitude is a simple practice with a lot of power. A regular practice of reflecting on people, circumstances and things we're grateful for has a tendency to shift our focus away from what is not going so well to that which is. This not only changes our mind state in the moment, research, like in this article from the Greater Good Institute, indicates it has lasting effects for the good.

Wherever you are, whatever your circumstances, if you can take a moment to something you can be thankful for, I guarantee it will shift your experience.

~JoAnn Saccato, MA, is a mindfulness teacher, life coach, author and consultant. She is the author of Companioning the Sacred Journey: A Guide to Creating a Compassionate Container for Your Spiritual Practice and Mindful and Intentional Living: A Path to Peace Clarity and Freedom.

Mindfulness is an umbrella term for a large body of popular health and wellness practices based on purposefully bringing a curious, kind and non-judgmental attention to our moment by moment experience. It is a scientifically proven approach that helps reduce stress and stress-related illnesses, increase focus and attention, decrease incidences of and relapses with depression, reduce anxiety, reduce relapses in addiction, and aids in sleep and digestive disorders. It has also been shown to increase well being, life satisfaction and happiness, as well as improved social relationships.

You can reach JoAnn at [email protected] . To follow her visit: www.MindfulAndIntentionalLiving.com