In this practice,
We will acknowledge our gratitude for the people around us as well as the parts of our life.
Often society gives us messages such as,
You need more or buy more things.
When in fact at the end of your life,
You will not mourn the things you did not buy.
But instead appreciate the memories you made with the people you love.
We will start our practice by noticing our breath in order to ground us.
We will begin by taking a breath in and out.
If it's comfortable for you,
You can deepen your breath by breathing in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Continue noticing your breath.
As you ground yourself in this practice,
In your mind,
Imagine you are looking at a picture of a loved one.
You can see their face,
Their smile.
Feel yourself filling with warmth and viewing them.
Practice saying to yourself,
I am grateful for this person.
I am grateful for their love.
I am grateful for their care.
I am grateful for their companionship.
Now imagine being in the room with another person you love.
You can feel their arms wrapped around you or yours wrapped around them.
You can feel their hug and their presence there with you.
Practice saying to yourself,
I am grateful for this person.
I am grateful for their love.
I am grateful for their warmth.
I am grateful they spend their precious time with me.
You are welcome to repeat with any additional people in your family or close support network.
You may pause here to repeat to yourself.
I am grateful for this person.
I am grateful for their love.
I am grateful for their companionship.
Now extend your gratitude to those you may not know as well,
Including those you see in your neighborhood.
Among your neighbors and those that live near you.
Practice saying to yourself,
I am grateful for this person.
I am grateful for their care.
I am grateful for their warmth.
Extend your gratitude to larger areas,
Including your city or state.
By practicing saying to yourself,
I am grateful for these people bound together by our humanity.
I am grateful for their presence.
I am grateful for their warmth.
Considering people for whom it may be harder to express gratitude,
Or for those that you don't get along with,
Or you may not feel warmth towards.
Even though it is challenging,
You may be holding onto anger that is ultimately a greater cost to yourself.
Imagine these people in your mind and say to yourself,
I am grateful for these people.
I am grateful for their humanity.
Considering other aspects of your life,
Such as your health,
Your work,
Your living situation.
Take a minute to acknowledge the benefits that you may have,
That someone else may not.
Instead of looking at all the things you do not have,
Take a minute to fully appreciate the things you do have.
Practice gratitude by saying,
I am grateful for the things in my life I do have.
I am grateful for my health.
I am grateful for the roof over my head.
I am grateful for food to eat and company to share it with.
I encourage you to practice gratitude throughout your daily life,
Including finding times where you can say thank you,
Or I appreciate that.
Perhaps consider one thing you can express gratitude for today.
As we bring our practice to a close,
We'll return to our breath.
Now notice your breath breathing in and out.
If it's comfortable,
You can deepen your breath by breathing deeper into your lungs and then out through your mouth.
Now notice your breath again,
Breathing in and out.
