Living in Gratitude While Giving Grace
The greatest joy I am realizing is that life can move on, while I heal, and also be excited about what is happening. One situation, experience, or feeling doesn't have to be exclusive to my overall experience. That I can be excited about a new position, nervous about a new project, and sad about a family issue, all at the same time. I am able to keep practicing that grace and living in the present. All of it is a part of life, and one doesn't have to overrule the other in order to cancel out the negative feelings with positive ones, or labeling any of it all together. Sitting with it rather than dwelling on it or staying with the story that comes with it.
It brings along a sense of peace in being present and living a full life. I am enough. I am capable of living this full experience of life.
As I journey along the path of mindfulness, I notice that life has this beautiful ability to continue moving forward. It's a revelation that has brought me great joy, it signifies that we can be excited about the new and the unknown, while also acknowledging our fears and sorrows without judgment. Sitting with the uncomfortable parts of life or emotions, without trying to fix or resolve them. Letting them exist and pass as life does.
This is the essence of living in gratitude and giving grace. It's about recognizing that all these emotions and experiences coexist, and none of them have to take precedence over the others. We don't need to overshadow our negative emotions with a blanket of positivity or suppress them with labels. Instead, we can embrace the full spectrum of life's experiences, sitting with each feeling as it comes, without getting entangled in the stories that often accompany them.
In this practice, I've found a profound sense of peace. It's a peace that comes from being fully present in the moment, from accepting myself for who I am, with all my emotions and experiences. I've come to understand that I am enough just as I am. I am capable of living a full and meaningful life, even when it feels like a whirlwind of emotions is swirling around me.
Journal Prompt: What are your moments of gratitude with your equal moments of grace?
