Welcome to this practice of morning gratitude and maybe you already know that the simplest habits often create the most profound shifts.
When you give yourself this gift,
Not once,
Not just occasionally,
But every morning for 30 days in a row something begins to change inside you because when you come back to this again and again you are training your mind to notice,
To lean toward the good,
To create a rhythm of appreciation that your unconscious begins to carry with you through the rest of your day.
It doesn't need to be complicated,
A little focus,
A little presence,
A willingness to turn your attention toward what is working,
What is nourishing,
What is already here that can be enough.
And the more often you repeat this practice the more it becomes a natural habit like brushing your teeth,
Like breathing,
An anchor that steadies you in the morning and carries forward into the moments that follow.
So as we settle into this morning together just imagine that each time you return to this meditation you are strengthening a pathway in your mind,
Each time easier than the last,
Each time deeper,
Richer,
Lighter.
So take a moment now to make yourself comfortable.
You may wish to close your eyes or soften your gaze,
Notice your body where it rests.
Whether you are in a chair or on a bed just notice yourself being supported,
Your breath already moving in and out and with every exhale a little more release.
With every inhale a little more openness.
Allow yourself this time free of distractions,
Free of expectations.
This is your space.
Bring your attention to your breath,
Just noticing,
Not trying to change it and as you notice it you might also find it begins to deepen all by itself.
Breathing in gratitude,
Breathing out release,
Breathing in appreciation,
Breathing out what you no longer need.
Feel your chest rise and fall,
Your belly soften,
Your shoulders let go.
Now let your mind wander gently to something in your life that you feel grateful for this morning.
It doesn't have to be big,
It may be as simple as this breath,
This moment of stillness,
The comfort of being here.
Notice what comes to mind first,
Trust it and as you think of this allow yourself to feel the sensation of gratitude in your body.
Where do you notice it?
Perhaps it's a warmth in your chest,
A softening in your face,
A gentle energy flowing through you and as you hold that feeling let it expand.
Imagine gratitude as a light inside you,
Growing brighter with each breath.
Now bring to mind another thing you are grateful for,
A person perhaps,
Someone who brings comfort,
Joy or support.
See them in your mind's eye,
Notice what you appreciate about them and let gratitude flow towards them as though you are sending them light.
And now a third,
Something simple,
Ordinary,
The way the sun rises each morning,
The taste of fresh water,
The softness of a pillow.
Let yourself remember that gratitude lives in the ordinary as much as the extraordinary and with each breath let your gratitude ripple outward like circles in a pond touching more and more of your life.
And perhaps you can imagine yourself 30 days from now having returned to this practice each morning.
Notice how it feels to have carried gratitude with you day after day,
How it has changed the way you move through your mornings,
How it has softened the way you meet challenges,
How it has brightened your perspective.
That future self of yours is already waiting,
Already living with more ease,
More appreciation,
More presence.
And each time you return here you step a little closer into that version of you,
That version of you who wakes with gratitude as naturally as breathing.
So take a few more breaths now,
Letting all that gratitude settle into your body,
Trusting your unconscious to carry it forward into today.
And as you prepare to continue with your morning know that gratitude will be there,
Ready to guide you,
Ready to support you.
Taking one last deep breath in and a long slow breath out.
You're ready.
Gently open your eyes,
Returning to the day with a little more gratitude,
A little more presence,
A little more light.
Thank you for joining me here this morning.
My name's Kate and I'll see you again tomorrow morning.
Sending love.
