Chandika Devālaya
House of Goddess Chandi
(a Lalita Chandika Temple)
Week One Challenge, January 4, 2021
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Take Notice, Become Aware!
Welcome to Week One of the Gratefulness Challenge. This week we’re going to be starting with the very simple practice of noticing.
Reflection:
A grateful heart is a heart that NOTICES the good things that are already present in the current circumstance.
In other words, when you’re grateful, you’re constantly seeing all the good that you have in your life.
When you are grateful ...
You’re not constantly frustrated about what you don’t have
You’re not constantly searching for the next “better” thing you’re going to get
You’re not constantly comparing yourself to others
Rather, you’re always on the lookout for good things that are coming into your life. And when you notice these things, you give thanks for them.
A delicious meal…
A gorgeous sunset…
Beauty of your spiritual practices...
Time to connect with your loved ones …
A peaceful walk in nature ....
Friends who make you laugh and love…
If you want to be grateful, you must regularly be noticing all the good things, big and small that come into your life.
When you do this, your heart will be filled with gratefulness.
Action:
Please get yourself a journal to write in, or a computer or even mobile phone to document your progress.
This week, decide that you are going to notice at least TEN things that you are grateful for and jot them down in your journal.
It’s really good to get into the habit of noticing the good as soon as you wake up in the morning. Make an effort to notice something you’re grateful for within the first few minutes of waking up.
If nothing comes to mind, simply be grateful that you’re alive! You’ve got another glorious day to live, another day to experience wonderful blessings, another day to be filled with joy.
The moment you notice something, give thanks for it. It can help if you audibly say, “Thank you for [insert thing] that you’re grateful for.”
By saying it out loud, you’re actively reminding yourself of the good that has come into your life.
At the end of each day, make sure you have written down in your journal at least 10 things that you are grateful for.
You shouldn’t have any trouble noticing ten things to be grateful for. If you get to ten early in the day, go for TWENTY! The more you’re grateful, the happier you’ll be.
Okay, now it’s time for you to practice noticing and being grateful.
At the end of each day, write down how this made you feel and any changes or reflections you had about yourself.
Come on, don’t be shy! Start now!