Gratitude – A Defining Moment

Who would’ve thought a spider could affect my life so significantly. A spider! Once a pest to be exterminated. Now, I feel such a sense of awe and wonder.

What I’m talking about is noticing and appreciating the beauty in the smallest of things, in the minutiae of life and in nature.

I had taken a photo of a golden orb spider and could zoom in well enough to see all the detail including the little black hairs on its legs.  Here it was, hanging in its home, supporting its own weight, in a ready made picnic basket to trap its prey for dinner.  It had woven its sticky magic in the structured web of circular rings, all created from a liquid silk thread extruded from its abdomen! Incredible. Such a small world, a self sufficient system that functioned within a bigger world, yet was still connected to it.

Taking the time to observe it in detail, inspired me to learn more and understand its life and the role spiders play.  That spider was a defining moment. It took my sense of appreciation to a whole new level and with it, elevated my sense of gratitude for it being a part of my world. This experience is an example of something that was memorable and had meaning.  It made me aware that many of us probably see a spider as a pest to kill, so spray or stomp on it.  Perhaps others ignore, miss or take for granted.  Who would have thought that opening my eyes and acknowledging its existence and contribution to the intricate web of life would make me feel so moved and also so removed from wanting to hurt it.

If this spider could have such an impact on me, I wondered what else is in right in front of us everyday that we don’t see, nor acknowledge, nor be grateful for what it offers nor think about how it makes us feel.  Whether it’s the people in our lives, a conversation with a friend, the process of making a meal, walking the dog, observing nature whether a spider, leaves, fluffy clouds or insects!.

In the fog of fatigue, it was hard to see the wood, let alone the trees and spiders, until I got my head around appreciating and being grateful for the even the smallest things in life.  It was Gratitude that became the key word that largely turned things around for me.

It didn’t mean my circumstances changed,  it meant changing my attitude and awareness to those circumstances.  

Thats why G for gratitude is the first letter in the GLLASHIO guide as it sets up my approach for the day.

I found that by reflecting on the previous 24 hours first thing in the morning, I could recall something specific and meaningful to be grateful for, no matter how small, made me feel good.  It may have been as simple as coffee with a friend, not feeling fatigued, walking the dog, the sun, the rain, the food on our plate, the flower that blossomed, the cosy throw on the lounge, making an important decision, or having achieved something effortful. Doing this exercise also has a dual function in that, it causes me to use my brain, building up my recall capacity.

What worked for me was to find Gratitude.  At first, it took a few minutes to find anything meaningful to be grateful in the unproductive frustrating fatigued groundhog days.   That quickly changed,  it got easier, faster and more enjoyable every day.  When Gratitude occupies a mind space, it  adds to my wellbeing, and other thoughts that don’t add value can’t intrude.  Being in the space of conscious gratitude, even for a short time, feels good and continues to fill my personal happiness/love bank.  It is a great way to start the day.

So the takeaway from all of this and what works for me, is to think about the last 24 hours and find something meaningful to me to be grateful for.  So, dig deep until you find what it is that can really add to your day in a way in unexpected ways.  It’s worth a go, what have you got to lose. See GLLASHIO for more.