Gratitude has the power to shift your focus from what's lacking to what's abundant in your life.
It's been studied and proven that those who keep up with a regular gratitude practice have improved their sleep quality,
Relationships,
And overall outlook on life.
I'm Shelly,
A therapeutic arts healer and empowerment coach.
And today we're going to explore a creative gratitude meditation.
Feel free to close your eyes and reflect on each prompt or grab your notebook,
Your favorite art supplies,
And partake in the interactive gratitude practice.
For this activity,
Start by drawing a circle with eight big triangles beaming outwards,
Resembling a sun.
With each gratitude prompt,
Fill the triangles with any words,
Colors,
Or images that come to mind.
If you choose to partake in the activity,
Feel free to pause the audio and create along the way.
Otherwise,
Sit back and enjoy.
Close your eyes,
Get settled,
And let's begin.
Visualize a radiant beaming sun with eight rays of light extending from its warm,
Vibrant center.
We're going to spend our time reflecting on eight different aspects of life to feel grateful about.
Take a deep breath in and out.
Place your hands on your chest and belly.
Feel the sensation of love and appreciation for your mind,
Your sight,
Ears,
And mouth.
For your ability to feel,
Touch,
And create with your hands.
Show love and gratitude towards your legs for carrying you place to place and supporting you throughout your day.
And for each little toe,
Balancing the weight of your body without you even noticing.
Your body has miraculously recovered from every scrape and bruise,
Cold and flu,
Heartache,
And broken bones.
24 hours a day,
Your body is working to keep you alive and well.
Spend a few moments here acknowledging the gift of your body.
With the next breath,
Bring your attention towards nature's blessings.
How often do you spend time appreciating all that mama earth has to offer?
The air you breathe,
The sun that keeps every plant and animal alive,
The water that replenishes your thirsty soul,
And the beautiful landscapes and sky that grace us with a new view every passing moment.
Picture the beauty of nature.
Reflect on the sun,
The sky,
The trees,
And the air you breathe.
Take a moment to express gratitude for the wonders of the natural world.
Breathe in and out as you shift your focus to your loved ones.
Bring to mind the faces of those you love,
Family,
Friends,
Or pets.
Imagine a cord connected from your heart to theirs.
Through this connection,
Feel the love,
Support,
And joy they bring to your life.
Recall the times they've made you laugh uncontrollably,
Times when they made you feel safe and heard.
Send them waves of gratitude for the times they reminded you to be a better human.
Feel the love and appreciation for your loved ones.
Feel it fill your heart space and spread throughout your body.
Spend a few moments appreciating those dear to your heart.
Bring your attention to any challenges you faced instead of dwelling on difficulties.
Think about the strength and resilience that they have cultivated inside you.
Think of the bravery and courage it took to overcome these challenges.
Think of future challenges,
Or maybe there's one you're currently facing.
And let the past give you reassurance that you can face whatever challenge comes your way.
Let this feeling of appreciation for your strength and courage lift your spirits.
Let gratitude fill your body as you recall the simple things that make life comfortable.
Spend time acknowledging the everyday comforts,
The comforts that are often taken for granted,
Like the shelter and protection of your home,
The nourishing food in your kitchen,
The warmth of your shower,
The technology to allow you to listen to this meditation and communicate with others.
These small things are used every day,
Yet we seldom show appreciation for them.
Take the next few breaths and appreciate your home,
Phone,
Water,
Food,
And any other everyday comforts that come to mind.
Take a deep breath in and sigh it out.
Take a moment of gratitude and reflect on the lessons life has taught you.
Each experience,
Whether positive or negative,
Contributes to your growth and wisdom.
Let this appreciation for your growth fill your soul.
These life lessons are everlasting.
You've earned this wisdom,
Wisdom that will protect you in the future and perhaps help others along their journey too.
Reflect on the greatest life lesson you are thankful for and how has it helped you grow.
Take a deep breath.
It's time to celebrate your achievements.
Give yourself space to celebrate and appreciate your accomplishments,
Big or small.
Recognize the effort,
Discipline,
And determination it took to lead you to your achievements.
Let the feelings of pride and appreciation fill your stomach.
Let it spread to your heart and upward towards your mind.
It's not often we thank our ego,
But now's the time to do so.
Feel grateful for the desires and goals that were set by your mind and for your ego for making it all happen.
Now's the time to sit in gratitude for all that you have accomplished.
Breathe in and out.
Let your mind wander as it recalls a memory when others have showed you kindness.
It could be someone close to you or maybe it was a stranger pointing you in the right direction when you were lost.
Reflect on the interconnectedness of humanity and the positive impact of small acts of kindness.
The beautiful thing to remember is although media tends to avoid sharing these acts,
They are happening every day on both a small and large scale.
Take the next few moments and appreciate the beauty of kindness.
How have you shown kindness to others?
How have others impacted your day with kind acts?
Lastly,
Bring your attention back to the present.
Be thankful for the opportunity to live in this moment,
To experience life,
To engage in an interactive meditation and to continue growing and with the next breath,
Slowly open your eyes and come back to the space around you.
Let the feelings of appreciation and gratitude resonate through your entire being for a moment longer.
As you conclude this gratitude meditation,
Carry the sense of gratitude with you.
Remember that acknowledging the positive aspects of life is the key to your overall wellbeing.
If you chose to partake in the creative activity,
Remember it is a time to freely express.
There is no right or wrong way to complete this activity.
Let your mind and your creative soul fill the page before you with colors,
Words and images that came to mind during this meditation.
If you found this meditation therapeutic or beneficial to your wellbeing,
Please follow,
Share with a friend or leave a review.
Thank you for listening and have a wonderful day.
