Our Annual Gratitude Challenge Reminds Us to Be More Present
We’ve all heard people say, “There aren’t enough hours in the day,” or “I wish I could clone myself and be in two places at once.” Perhaps you’ve thought or expressed similar sentiments yourself. These days, we exist in a reality where—despite all the time-saving technology that’s been introduced in our lifetimes—opportunities to slow down and live in the moment are rapidly vanishing from our packed and hurried day-to-day lives.
Have you had the experience of being without your smartphone or smartwatch—maybe because you have left it behind intentionally, or perhaps because your battery needed charging, or you were in an area without connectivity? Once the initial panic subsides, something extraordinary happens. You begin noticing the expressions on the faces around you, the feeling of the breeze on your skin, the sound of someone laughing. Your mind stops racing toward the next task or distraction. Time, somehow, opens up.
That experience of existing outside of distraction and chaos is something I strive to achieve with our annual gratitude challenge. Now that we are four years into embracing a formal gratitude practice together, I am reflecting on the ways the daily challenge affects my life, and I have realized that following through with the prompts allows me to be more patient with others—and even to be more gentle with myself. Slowing down eases the pressure that saps our patience. Extending such grace may be the most important gift we can offer ourselves and those around us in a world where every one of us feels stressed and overextended.
As I considered different prompts to include in our 2024 Gratitude Challenge journal, I tried to incorporate some that would honor the act of living in the moment with grace and gratitude. Here are some examples that might help us step outside of time:
Day 1: Daily Routines. We all have routines or parts of our day or tasks that we complete that we sometimes seemingly do on “autopilot”. In the hustle and bustle of our days, what is one thing we see or do daily that we don’t always fully appreciate? Sometimes the small things, the simple moments, have some of the biggest impacts on our day.
Day 6: Memories. Sometimes memories help us recall humble beginnings, making us thankful for where we are now. Other times we look back and are grateful to celebrate past events that would be unachievable today. All memories engage feelings on a spectrum from melancholy to euphoric, each filling us with a spirit of thankfulness. What memories do you look back on with gratitude?
Day 15: Nature. Take a moment to reflect on the importance of nature. Even though we may not spend as much time in it as we’d like, there is so much to appreciate. What is inspiring or beautiful about the nature that surrounds you? What elements of the natural world are you most grateful to experience?
Our 2024 Gratitude Challenge continues for 30 days. If we are lucky, that single month of the year will feel like it stretches even longer, because we will have indeed found a way to add an extra hour to the day—a window of time when we experience the world around us with unhurried eyes, and extra light and laughter.