A Wholehearted Revolution

Virtual Book ClubWeek Eleven

Cultivating Gratitude and Joy

Letting go of scarcity and fear of the dark.

This theme resonates with me deeply this week – as I strive towards living and loving

with my whole heart. To all of those who are in my life – and or

crossed my path – Thank You – I love you all for all that you are. May you always know

love.

From Brené Brown’s Research….Without exception, every person I interviewed who described living a joyful life or who described themselves as joyful, actively practice and attributed their joyfulness to their gratitude practice.

Both joy were described as spiritual practices that were bound to a belief in human interconnectedness and a power greater than us.

People were quick to point out the differences between happiness and joy as the difference between a human emotion that’s connected to circumstances and a spiritual way of engaging with the world that’s connected to practicing gratitude.

Gratitude is a daily practice -

Happiness is attached to external situations and events and seems to ebb and flow as those circumstances come and go. Joy seems to be constantly tethered to our hearts by spirit and gratitude. But our actual experiences of joy a – these intense feelings of deep spiritual connection and pleasure seize us in a very vulnerable way.

- Brené Brown

Twinkle lights are the perfect metaphor for joy. Joy is not a constant. It comes to us in moments – often ordinary moments. Sometimes we miss out on the bursts of joy because we’re too busy chasing down extraordinary

moments. Other times we’re so afraid of the dark that we don’t dare let ourselves enjoy the light.

A joyful life is not a floodlight of joy. That would eventually become unbearable.

I believe a joyful life is made up of joyful moments gracefully strung together by trust, gratitude,

inspiration and faith. - Brené Brown

The dark does not destroy the light; it defines it. It’s our fear of the dark that casts our joy into

the shadows. - Brené Brown

We’re afraid to lose what we love the most, and we hate that there no guarantees. We think not being

grateful and not feeling joy will make it hurt less. We think if we can beat

vulnerability to the punch by imaging loss, we’ll suffer less.

We’re wrong.

There is one guarantee -

If we’re not practicing gratitude and allowing ourselves to know joy, we are missing out on the two things that will actually sustain us during

the inevitable hard times.

Choose a mindset of sufficiency –

You are enough.

I am enough.

We are enough.

Call it forward -

I am enough.

Love & Gratitude

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