Changes, yet again: gratitude and acceptance during transitions

Change is inevitable. It’s the only constant. We’ve all heard it before, and it’s still a hard truth to swallow, at least for me. 

As we live through more transitions in the next few days, weeks and months, let’s practice gratitude and acceptance. Let gratitude be our measure of happiness in this wild year. Let acceptance be our teacher. Let’s cultivate an attitude of gratitude for the little things in life we may have taken for granted - friends who care about us, work that pays the bills, the air we breathe, or plants that surround us (anyone else a new plant mom?). Let’s also accept the current reality as is, one moment, one breath at at time. Sometimes it’s appropriate to advocate, show up and speak up for what we believe in. However, there are also times we can practice acceptance - accepting of self and accepting of others who might have different viewpoints than us. 

Let’s move through this season with gratitude and acceptance and stay present to these transitory experiences. Sit in the discomfort and observe your thoughts, feelings and body. Friends, let’s keep breathing, breathe deeply. Let’s use our breath as a tool for the greater good and for our own good. 

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Here’s an interactive exercise to help cultivate gratitude and acceptance (grab your favorite pen and paper):

a) Write what you’re grateful for (see examples)

-Coworkers who have become my friends

-A chance to reconnect with long lost people from the past 

-My apartment 

-Wi-fi

-Costco

-Amazon

-My planner

-Holidays

-My therapist

b) Write difficult moments this year

-having difficult conversations at work and at home

-deciding to move

-being long-distance

c) Turn these difficult moments into “I accept” sentences:

“I accept that it’s hard to have difficult conversations at work and at home”

“I accept that I’ve decided to move.”

“I accept that long-distance relationships have been hard for me.”