Finding Gratitude and Mattering Within a Pandemic

If you can believe it, it was a year ago this week that all the lockdowns started for Covid. At least here in Los Angeles. A whole year! 
 
I for one, was completely incorrect and assumed that it would be gone by May or June at the latest. Clearly there’s a continuing bigger lesson that humanity needs to learn. 
 
It has absolutely been a practice in surrender and accepting what is. 
 
There are so many things that have changed during this time, and some things that may never return to the way they were.
 
For some, this past year has been truly horrific, and for others, it has been a beautiful gift. Most people fall between those two extremes.

Today, I want you to take a moment and acknowledge how much you’ve changed this past year. Even if you had moments of melting down and fighting against the lockdowns and limitations and hating it, and/or not ever wanting it to end – wherever you are in the spectrum – I want you to take a moment and think about the things that you appreciate from this past year. 
 
Even if it was phenomenally hard on you, can you find five things that you’re grateful for and that you appreciate about what this forced global time-out has shown you?
 
Next, think about the things that you now recognize matter most to you, that you may not have put strong focus on before. For example, maybe you’ve always known your family matters, but this past year you’ve really realized how much value you put on family. Or maybe it’s having your freedoms, or travel, maybe it's your health, or human connection. What did this past year show you about what matters?
 
So, five things you’re grateful for and/or appreciate, and three places that you realize matter to you incredibly.
 
As you vibrate in gratitude, you bring more of what you’re grateful for into your life. As you focus on appreciation, you open your heart and again, attract more to appreciate. And as you identify what really matters, you know how to structure your time, energy and focus.
 
Acknowledge how far you’ve come, as you turn your gaze to a beautiful new future.