Try doing Gratitude in reverse

Can you try an experiment with me?

What if you could reverse how you experience gratitude?

The usual path to gratitude is to start thinking of what you are blessed to have — family, roof, food, air to breathe, warmth, a running car — and feel gratitude rise in your body.

It’s lovely, and…

Sometimes the list can become more important than the feeling. And some clients move into analysis of what they have or comparisons (positive or jelly-ous) of others.

I was curious what it was like to do gratitude in reverse.

Start with gratitude and see what feel grateful for.

Play with feeling the physical sensations of gratitude: your heart opening, breath softening, feeling pulled with love to your world.

Then notice what arises.

• Playing games with your family

• Warmth for those who support you, from friends to your therapist

• Hearing the furnace turn on and its heat.

• Yourself for making all the changes you do

• Blue skies out the window

• Remembering last night’s dinner

The stuff isn’t as important as the sensation of gratitude.

Because gratitude is as important as gravity. Gravity connects us to the earth, and gratitude connects us to our vital lives.

The more we can experience gratitude, the more able we are to balance the other intense emotions that can sway our lives.

Try it out, and let me know how it works.

With gratitude for you!