Day 6 - Gratitude Is in the Present

“Just be, right now, here; and breathe. Begin to trust the magic of yourself.” ― Nikki Rowe

In today’s meditation, we discover how gratitude makes the present moment fully alive, awake, and enriched. We learn how every instant of our life is a unique gift and that when we are awake to this special value of the here and now, we step into a state of grace. 

So much of our cultural conditioning pulls us out of the present moment, striving for an impossible ideal in the future. Somewhere outside this present time, we hope to have what we currently lack, or look like what we think we should look like, and feel the happiness we don’t feel now. But this assumes that the present is inherently lacking, and the present is all we ever know. Practicing gratitude turns this around so that we find our completeness in the present moment.

Daily Journal

1. At this very moment, stop and look around you, being as present as possible. Describe your experience – what you see, smell, hear, and feel.

2. List three things that often take you out of the present moment, such as minor distractions, interruptions by other people, overwork, fatigue, or old memories.

3. Now, taking your list from Question 2, write about at least three ways you can minimize these things that distract you from being in the present moment.

4. Use this space to reflect further on your experience today.