gratitude practice: day 30

it's the last day of november which means that i made it through my thirty day gratitude practice. woo-hoo! and as the month comes to a close, what i'm feeling thankful for today is YOU! yes, you reading this post right now. while i committed to posting every day on here to see if i would be able to stick with it, no excuses, writing something every day, what really kept me going was hearing from you throughout the month. your comments on facebook, emails, and text messages inspired me and made sharing my gratitude that much more enjoyable. so i'm sending a deep bow and a big hug out there to all of you!

via // namaste

research has suggested that people who have gratitude practice (e.g. keep a journal of what they are thankful for) are indeed happier than those who don't. speaking from my experience of this past month, i have to agree. there was always something that i could turn my attention and appreciation toward, even on days that were challenging. and this happiness isn't a fleeting sensation, that might come from winning a prize. rather, it's a steadier, more serene feeling that i would liken to santosha, the sanskrit word meaning "contentment." sri swami satchidananda defines santosha as being content with what you have and where you are instead of wishing for things you don't have or daydreaming of the future. so as we head into a new month, i plan to carry with me this santosha, this contentment, this gratitude, allowing it to be a part of my every day and i hope you do the same!