As I was transitioning my home decor to say goodbye to Halloween, and say hello to my warm and cozy fall decorations last weekend, Gizmo appeared from one of my boxes. I have no idea how or why this cute little guy, a stuffed animal from my childhood, was put into these fall boxes. Such a sweet little surprise! I took him out and felt grateful for this adorable relic that evoked nostalgia from my childhood. Without thinking much of it, each morning, since early November, I nestled him into little pockets of nooks and crannies around our house.
My kids took note and have been excited to now find Gizmo each day. Due to his timing of showing up within our timeline leading up to the holiday where we express gratitude (Thanksgiving), we lovingly named him our Grateful Gizmo.
Since there was gratitude when he was originally found, and now gratitude as he continues to show up in a new place each day, we take an itty-bitty moment out each day to express gratitude for something or someone.
Perhaps we will adopt this new and amusing tradition as many families do with the Elf on the Shelf between Thanksgiving and Christmas? Time will tell.
No matter what holidays you celebrate, how much time you have, or what traditions you tend to, there are always moments when we can tune into gratitude.
Regardless, if you are guiding itty-bitty children, or working with your adult self, gratitude is a positive and beneficial way to evoke a smile. It is kind of like unpacking a box to find a darling little surprise smiling back at you.
This is a non-paid endorsement, inviting you to savor the special surprises that create a smile and evoke a sense of gratitude in your life.
Perhaps you can create a short, sweet, or silly tradition in your home to hide or display something random to remind you of how much there is to be grateful for.
“Gratitude is one of the sweet shortcuts to finding peace of mind and happiness inside.”
- Barry Neil Kaufman
As always, I would love for you to share anything that resonates with you on social media. Bonus points for sharing details of any traditions you have created that make you smile.
Sometimes it is difficult to be grateful when things do not seem to be going the way we had anticipated or expected them to. Here is a time when I was experiencing some glitches in my life. It is amazing how simply tuning into the feeling of gratitude can shift our mental, emotional, and social outlook:
