Hello,
Friend.
Today I want to talk about something that is near and dear to my heart,
Honest awareness.
We'll be practicing how to notice,
Not judge,
And to see without fixing,
To let gratitude begin,
Not as a thought,
But as a pause,
A breath between,
I can't and perhaps I can.
Let's get started.
Get started.
Find a comfortable seat or lie down.
Allow your shoulders to drop and your jaw to soften.
Let your hands rest wherever they feel best supported.
Now,
Take a slow,
Deep inhale through your nose and exhale through your mouth.
Do that again and let your breath say,
I am here now.
No performing,
No pretending,
Just here.
As you're breathing,
You might notice that your mind starts to wander.
That's okay.
Our minds do that.
Gratitude begins with noticing,
Not perfection.
Bring your awareness to the points of contact between your body and the ground,
Whether it be your feet,
As you're sitting in a chair,
Or lying down.
Feel the support beneath you.
This is a quiet reminder that you don't have to hold it all alone.
The chair,
The floor,
The air are all carrying you right now.
Let's breathe in for a slow count of 4,
3,
2,
1,
And hold for a count of 2,
1,
And exhale for a count of 6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1.
Let your exhale carry away any small pieces of tension that you might still be holding.
Each release creates just a bit more space for calm.
Now gently bring your mind to one neutral or comforting detail from your day.
It doesn't have to be profound.
Maybe it was the way sunlight touched your desk,
The smell of coffee,
Or a brief moment when you weren't rushing.
As you see this moment in your mind's eye,
Say to yourself,
I noticed that,
And it mattered.
When you're doing this,
You are not forcing gratitude.
You are recognizing it.
If any emotions come up for you,
Sadness,
Guilt,
Relief,
Accept them all.
This is where gratitude begins.
Not in the shiny moments,
But in the honest ones.
Breathing deeper,
I want you to visualize a small flame glowing at the center of your chest.
Each breath you take feeds it oxygen,
Steady,
Gentle,
Warm.
This is your awareness,
Your inner witness.
It doesn't demand joy.
It welcomes truth.
As you continue breathing,
With each breath,
Silently say to yourself,
Even here,
I can soften.
Even now,
I can notice.
Even this,
I can meet with grace.
What you're doing right now is called introceptive awareness.
The practice of sensing your internal world.
When you breathe and name sensations without judgment,
Your body sends safety signals to your brain.
This resets your nervous system and opens space for authentic gratitude to grow.
This is the foundation of resilience.
Choosing awareness before reaction,
Softness before defense.
As we finish up our practice today,
Let your next few breaths be natural.
You don't need to hold anything.
Notice how your body feels,
Whether it's heavier or calmer.
Place one hand on your heart and one on your belly and whisper.
I am grateful for this breath,
This body,
This moment.
Take a final slow breath and seal in your intention.
I am releasing pressure and accepting honesty in each moment.
You just practiced the first layer of gratitude,
Awareness.
Before you chase the next achievement or scroll through another list of shoulda,
Coulda,
Wouldas,
Pause to notice something real around you.
Gratitude is not a goal.
It is a relationship with your life.
If you felt uncomfortable at any time today,
That's okay.
Many of us have spent years performing gratitude instead of practicing it.
You're just learning to do it a little differently now,
With safety,
Softness,
And structure.
If you'd like to carry this into a journaling practice,
Consider a prompt of,
What did I notice today that I might have overlooked before?
Or what does gratitude mean to me beyond the surface idea of thankfulness?
As you go throughout your day and stress arises,
And it will,
Whisper to yourself,
Even here,
I can soften.
You don't have to rush.
You just have to begin.
And you already have.
