Thankful Thursday... A simple stretch with an Attitude of Gratitude...

Today I find myself incredibly thankful for my family, my friends, my classes, the beautiful people who come to my classes, so very thankful for YOU! Please try to remember, it's not about what you can't do.. It's always about what you CAN! Just do what you can... The rest will come... as it should, when it's supposed to.

One of my most favorite quotes - “Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life; it turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. Gratitude makes sense of or past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow” … Melody Beattie

It is simple if you think about it in this way. Every day life presents us challenges. If we approach these challenges from a point of gratitude then they are easier to overcome. When I speak about focusing on what you can do it just means, don't waste your time stressing about what you can't do. It doesn't matter if you can't do something, because I am sure you are already doing so many things so very well! I say this with regards to yoga poses and classes, but it can also apply to every day life. Breathe, be proud of YOU, who you are, what you ARE capable of doing. First, start your day with gratitude for simply waking up. I usually say, open your eyes then, simply say thank you! Just because you can. However you are feeling, look in the mirror and tell yourself you LoVE Yourself, appreciate yourself. Simply start there!

Eventually once you are awake, take a few minutes to stretch and sit with yourself in your own thoughts. In this same way, you will find your calm and learn to tie your breath to your body. Without a doubt, you will learn to have better coping skills simply by finding your calm and looking at life from a point of gratitude.

In the end, starting your day with gratitude, gives you the grace you will need to have the inner calm you may need to face any challenge. It is up to you to change the way you look at things. Having an attitude of gratitude, will bless you every day of your life.