What If You Live Saturated In Gratitude? - a podcast by Michelle Berkey: Entrepreneur, Artist, Life/Small Business Coach, Personal Growth Junkie

It certainly doesn't feel like November here! In Middle Tennessee, it's been almost 90 degrees every day for the last two weeks! That's not a complaint, mind you; I'm fine with a long warm Fall. But, the "not feeling like November" outside matches my "not feeling like November" inside as well.

Actually, as I'm working on this episode, it's not quite November. By the time you hear it, it will be though. It's actually Halloween. The last day of October. And the month decided to go out with a bang. My son woke up with a fever, canceling all of our plans for the evening. We get together with a group of friends every Halloween and this is the second year in a row we'll miss it because he woke up sick. Plus, I just got word that I lost a large order that I've been repeatedly doing for a client for about 10 years. One that I had jumped through hoops and put a lot of effort in over the last few months.

I feel tired, defeated and disappointed.

But what I want to feel is thankful.

This November, my family will be focused on cultivating a heart posture of gratitude and we'll make thankfulness part of our routine in a couple different ways. It's convenient that it coincides with the traditional Thanksgiving holiday, yes?

Three Ways We're Practicing Gratitude

• Gratitude Moments
• Thank Yous
• Thankful Tree

Benefits of Gratitude

Studies show that a heart that chooses a regular posture of gratitude by taking time to notice and reflect on the things they're thankful for will result in a person who is more compassionate and kind, has a stronger immune system, is happier, experiences more positive emotions, feels more alive and sleeps better. And I need all the help I can get sleeping better at this stage of my life.

I know that in order for the hearts of my family to be at peace in December amidst the chaos and clamor of a culture obsessed with more, bigger, running and getting, we need to be saturated in contentment and I know of no better route to that heart place than a season of thanks.

I don't expect this to always to be easy. A few weeks ago in episode 3 I talked about ways to approach life when when it's hard. Along with the things I mentioned then, thankfulness is another tool, There are always things to be thankful for and I hope that as I strengthen my thankful muscle, it becomes a natural response to notice and be grateful for those things.

Episode Artwork

The artwork this week is about what happens in your life and your soul when you filter living through a heart of gratitude. At the bottom is how my soul feels right now. Like sludge. Dull. Weighted down. When sifted through a filter of thankfulness (shown as the ribbons of light yellow and gold) our mood, our emotions, our experiences and our physiology even is transformed into something lighter and brighter.

That's what I want for this November. A season of thanks. Will you join me?

What if you live saturated in gratitude?

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