Rich in What Matters - Shifting Toward Gratitude

I stood in the middle of our street, face tilted skyward, welcoming the wet frigid flakes as they steadily pelted my skin. Squinting my eyes against the snowy onslaught, I caught sight of our streetlight, illuminating the grandeur falling all around me. I stuck out my tongue, collecting as many silver crystals as I could hold, allowing them to dissolve and refill on my palate.

“Look at mom,” our eight year old giggled, dark lashes weighed down by flakes. Our five year old had already watched and was imitating me, clandestinely, as though to avert a scolding for eating snow.

The first snowfall of the season always held a certain magic. One I wasn't going to miss. Twirling, tongue out in the street, I was eight again on a winter, Iowa night. Thirty years later, the feeling was similar. One that made me feel alive and… thankful.

Later that evening, once the house was quiet, I cracked open my gratitude journal.

What was I thankful for today? I reflected. What moments stood out as gifts that I wanted to capture?

Our toddler's intense focus during yet another Zingo game. Our daughters' triumphant smiles after discovering where I'd hid the rest of their Halloween candy. Laughter with my husband over yet another parenting memes text. And the snow. Frigid, soul-awakening flurries that stirred feelings of wonder.

The moments I'm thankful for, to me, are moments that matter. They accompany each day, but it's taken years to train my eyes to really see them. For my mindset to shift toward gratitude.

I started documenting these moments in 2015, after reading Ann Voskamp's book One Thousand Gifts. The book where I learned that gratitude was simply a matter of focus.

Author and brain scientist Dr. Daniel Amen says, “Where you bring your attention always determines how you feel.” Focus on what you're thankful for and you'll feel grateful. Focus on what you wish was different in your life and you'll feel restless and stressed. Focus on taking good care of yourself and you'll feel energized to serve others.

An intentional shift toward gratitude has changed how I see the world. And it can for you too.

Gratitude won't make you always happy—that's not real life and it would be unhealthy not to feel other things.

It will, however, make your life more simple and joy-filled as your focus moves away from what you lack, carving more space for contentment with who you are and what you have.

How to start your own gratitude practice:

Read the full article here!

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Fundraiser Update!

The Rich in What Matters community is aiming to raise $2,000 for The Hope Effect over the next week. We've raised $1,300 so far! The fundraiser will end on Giving Tuesday (Nov. 29th).

The Hope Effect founder, Joshua Becker, joined me for a FUN Instagram Live yesterday. You can check it out here!

Get involved

If you've found value in this site and consider yourself part of the Rich in What Matters Community, or if you're simply feeling called to give back, then join me in this fundraiser!

Consider giving an amount below to be entered to win a prize for your generosity.

PRIZES

$10 donation – Donate $10 and you'll be entered to win three books: Soulful Simplicity by Courtney Carver, The Minimalist Way by Erica Layne, and Things That Matter by Joshua Becker. ($50 value)

$50 donation – Donate $50 or more and you'll be entered to win ALL the videos to my new course “Declutter Your Life NOW.” (This course is launching soon! It includes my teaching videos on how to rid your home of clutter NOW and an in-depth video tour of our minimalist home.) ($150 value)

$200 donation – Donate $200 or more and you'll be entered to win a 20 minute, 1:1 coaching session with The Hope Effect's founder, Joshua Becker. Ask him anything!

**To be entered to win these prizes, use the links on this page to donate!

The Hope Effect's commitment to you is that 100% of your donation will be used exclusively for orphan care. Becker's investment into The Hope Effect has provided the administrative funding so all public donations can be used for the reason they were intended. And because The Hope Effect is a registered 501(c)(3) organization, your donation is tax-deductible.

Let's show orphaned and vulnerable children that because we're committed to live with less, they have a chance to truly live!