Gratitude GRAVY #2

I think we all probably are a little guilty of living a drive-by life. We have drive-by conversations with our loved ones, we speed through our day, plow through our inboxes, rush through our to-do list and then we count down until the weekend.

We tend to breeze right past a whole lot of what we could be grateful for in the present.
That's one of the beautiful benefits of gratitude. Gratitude makes us stop, recognize, acknowledge and appreciate whatever good is happening right in front of us.

As one of my favorite authors, Anne Lamott, so beautifully puts it, to appreciate life, you just have to be open for business. 

Gorgeous, amazing things come into our lives when we are paying attention: mangoes, grandnieces, Bach, ponds … Astonishing material and revelation appear in our lives all the time. Let it be. Unto us, so much is given.

We just have to be open for business. 
-Anne Lamott, Help, Thanks, Wow

Our lives might be swirling,...

Want to listen to the Gratitude Gravy challenge? Use the player above or subscribe to The Life Feast podcast right here.

#GratitudeGRAVY day 1

Consider the expression, "thank you". We've said it a million times. It's a habitual response. We say thank you for everything. Thanks, thank you, TY, Thx, sometimes we throw out a folded hands emoji and call it a day .

We speak it, we text it, we demand our kids say it, but do we mean it?
It's a knee-jerk generalized response. Conditioned by societal norms and Miss Manners. But as it's tossed around for everything, we become desensitized to the true power of experiencing and expressing gratitude.

Let's be real, should the same word be used to convey the same level of sincerity when someone politely holds the door open for us at a coffee shop as when someone holds our hand in the hospital?

Ummm probably not.

But in lieu of rewriting the English language and inventing a new vocabulary, let's decide that when someone does us a solid, we'll add...

Did you know that a few little tweaks to your walking can boost your brain power, skyrocket your creativity and help you feel more connected in your relationships?

You might soak up life's little details along the way and decrease your inflammation while staring at a rainbow. In this jam packed episode, Lizzie gives you 7 different types of walks (several you've probably NEVER heard of) to boost your brainpower, increase creativity and feel more connected in your relationships.

Plus, experience all the usual benefits of a walking habit. Listen in to step up your walking (all puns intended) with science-backed research, funny stories and down-to-earth tips. Want to know the perfect kind of walk to boost your memory, calm your stress, generate new ideas or to decrease your inflammation? It's all inside!

A few of the walks mentioned: passeggiata, flanerie (or flaneuring), awe walks, novelty walks, meditative walks, photo walks with favorites from Baudelaire, Nietsche, Thoreau, Jon...

Do you have play pretend goals? Goals that feel great when you're thinking them up, but fall apart when you try to make them happen. If you're ready to call BS on your brain and figure out why you procrastinate your dreams into the next decade, then listen to this episode.

Lizzie talks about the simple way to find out if you're serious about what you want, how to talk back to your inner Dwight (he's a real pain), and why the hidden goal of staying "safe" is actually pretty dangerous.

Your path is meant to have obstacles, but they don't need to be insurmountable barricades. Instead they can be like the ultimate mix tap ro rock out that bigger and more meaningful life (yes you've probably been on autopilot for a while now).

Forego the junk food hit of your imaginary life in your imaginary future and, instead, experience the real rewards that are meant for you right here, right now.

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