Ah my favorite Thanksgiving day song.  I love you Alanis for your amazing voice, your authenticity and your randomness!  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  A day full of family, friends, love, gratitude and yes yummy food.  In the past I have never been particularly a fan of this day.  I am not a sports fan, I don’t enjoy feeling overstuffed, and then there’s the genocide of a race of people that we seem to forget about. But overtime  I have come to very much appreciate the tradition of pausing to give thanks.  While this tradition is best practiced year round, there is something cool about feeling the Universal energy of gratitude that is being shared around the country on this day.  It feels like we are all in the proverbial “circle of trust” that Robert De Niro coined in “Meet the Parents.”   It’s kinda of like having a big group hug.  Gratitude is the process by which we are able to receive and give thanks for what is dear to our hearts.  When I am in a grateful place, I am able to put aside all the petty bs of life and think about the things that would really matter to me most if this was my last day on Earth.  In NA they say “A grateful heart will never use.”  An addict or alcoholic who is centered in gratitude knows that no matter what is going on life is too precious to hurt themselves and others over the daily stressors. In our last chat Abundance…the Gift that Keeps on Givingwe discussed the spiritual concept of abundance. Today we will discuss how to embody an abundantly grateful heart full of clarity.

My favorite line in this random song is when Alanis thanks clarity.  Gratitude is clarity.  It is a moment when all the noise of the traffic and the pressures of daily living fade into the background. Everything seems crystal clear even if for a moment.  Clarity is something that is illusive in today’s busy, hectic, fear based world.  With all of the many distractions, regrets of the past and fears of the future, we lose sight of today and therefore lack clarity of being.  It is something that comes with being present in the moment with your truth. Clarity is living from that gut instinct without apologies.  It is when you see not through rose color glasses but through the brightest sharpest lens possible.  It occurs when you let go of covering up who you really are.  Clarity has come to me over time and for that I am very grateful.  It came to me once I started listening more closely to that little whisper inside that told me that how I was living was not in line with what my soul’s yearnings.  Once I started listening, the whisper became louder and then it began to scream at me!  For those of you who know me, you know I am not a soft talker.  Being Italian and Irish makes for a voice that tends to be outspoken and anything but soft.   Finding the indoor voice is something my people struggle with.  So you can imagine that the whisper was feeling a little suffocated being so quiet.  The voice of clarity becomes louder when you remove the impulsive things that you are using to harness it such as the over consumption of sugar, alcohol, drugs, impulsive spending, sex, relationships, etc.  These things dull the senses and allow for instant gratification but not for the lasting happiness that clarity brings.  Coming into clarity is a process that requires patience and loving kindness.  Once it’s voice becomes louder, you begin to see the world in a whole new light. Also, just as Alanis sings, within the louder voice of clarity also comes silence, peace and serenity. A sense of freedom and ease comes over you.  This sense of freedom began this year for me when I took a risk and began my relationship with you all.  And for that I am truly blessed and grateful.  My cup runneth over.   My life has been enriched by you all and my heart feels like the Grinch’s at the end of the tale.  This year has been one of great change and I suspect it has been for you as well.  Take a moment to breathe in that energy and share it with those you encounter.

How will you be enjoying your day today?  How might you embrace gratitude for the things in life that bring you clarity?  Today I will be taking space to be reflective of all the wonderful gifts that the Universe has provided in my life over the past year.  A beautiful friend called me yesterday to reflect with me on how different our lives are now from just under two years ago.  It was a beautiful moment to pause and share in the glory of dreams that were created that have come into fruition.  I encourage you to do the same.  Give yourself the gift of appreciation, love and clarity.

Cheers!