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Bring in the harvest | a time for gratitude

All over the UK, children are participating in their schools’ and churches’ harvest festivals. They will be bringing in some produce from their gardens or cans of food to add to the parcels to be shared out amongst their community’s needy after an assembly to consider and reflect upon the harvest. These simple acts may not quite reflect the older traditions of farming families but they do help us focus.

It’s a time for us all to focus on the seeds we’ve sown, the tender shoots we’ve nurtured to full bloom and the outcomes we’ve come to harvest.

I’d love you to book a little time this week or weekend, when you can be free of distractions, somewhere you feel comfortable and able to relax.

Cast your mind back – what were your goals and aspirations back in the spring? It might help to consider the different areas of your life – for example family, friends, career, health or finance.

How did you prepare yourself? (Did you create a plan or timeline? Invest in a course or seek out a mentor? Buy the right kit? Diarise key events and activities?)

Where did the help along the way come from? (New learnings, a little R&R (aka self care), mates or your other half? Or maybe you had a light bulb a-ha moment or two?)

How were the tough times handled? (Tears and tantrums to get it out of your system? Re-planning or prioritising? Amending your direction of travel or scope of your desired outcome? Or simply asking for help?)

So what are your harvesting? Large or small, everything should be included in your gratitude tally.

I reckon by know you should have a big ol’ grin on your face. You’ve done good. It’s a time for gratitude.

Enjoy doing this? I hope so and I’d love to invite you to make this a regular practice. Take photos, write a journal, list your gratitudes each night before bed, say a pray to your gods or the universe. Our brains are hard wired to focus on the negatives in life, to protect us from being eaten by dinosaurs or being without food, warmth and shelter. Adding a little bit of reflective practice around what you have to be grateful for, means you challenge that wiring and open up new sources of positivity, energy and motivation. Something that is key to successfully adding stretch to your life.

(oh what’s on my list? You guys are. I’m counting each and every one of you who reads my b-mails, shares their thoughts and ways to stretch their lives. I’m counting each and every one of you who emails me their questions and personal challenges in moving forward to a more purposeful, fulfilling life. I’m counting each and every one of you who contributes to our community on social media, shares my updates and pictures and likes the articles I post. Thank you so much for being part of b-elastic!)

So do tell me, what are you currently grateful for and how will you add a bit of gratitude counting each day or week?

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