My heart is beyond grateful for the incredible support this community has shown for my new book Sacred Celebrations: Designing Rituals to Navigate Life’s Milestone Transitions. Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!
My inner circle of friends have been texting me the sweetest compliments, saying things like:
“I knew it would be good, but I didn’t know it would be THIS good.”
“You have a gift and talent for connecting people and honoring everything from the big things to the little.”
“As you know, we just lost a family member tragically. Your book helped me to lead a ritual for my family in our time of pain and mourning. We all felt closure in a way that would not have been attained without the help of your guidance.”
“You have been leading us (our group of friends) for years by your example but it’s so cool that now more people will have access to your wisdom and stories!”
If you order it now, you’ll likely have it in time for Thanksgiving! And it makes a great gift for the people in your inner circle.
On Amazon, you can order the print or Kindle version.
Order the paperback through my publisher, GracePoint Publishing.
Speaking of inner circles…
This is the first year—ever—that I’m spending Thanksgiving with my three biological siblings on my mom’s side. You may recall that our mother (my birthmom) died earlier this year along with her life partner of 17 years, Richard. It was a shock to everyone who knew and loved them. Now that seven months have passed, the reality is settling in that they are no longer here. It feels important for the four of us to be together as we mark this new reality.
The holidays will be hard. The firsts after a loved one dies always are.
Perhaps you can relate. Whether this year or a previous year.
Grief is a fact of life. The pain can be searing at times, and we may be sad, depressed, anxious, angry or overwhelmed just thinking about the holidays without a loved one.
I know I’ve certainly experienced this multiple times in my life. You probably have too.
But the one thing that makes it just a tiny bit better? Makes it somewhat bearable?
Step fully into gratitude.
The good news? It doesn’t need to be complicated. Or take a lot of time.
I’m sure with our family, we’ll take time to tell stories and laugh and remember Kathy and Richard. We’ll eat their favorite foods and reminisce on special times spent together. We will miss them and we may even cry, but we will keep them alive with our memories as we continue to remember their positive impact on our lives.
Here are three ideas for you to consider incorporating gratitude into your life and your family holidays.
- Start a gratitude bowl. Find a beautiful bowl and leave slips of paper and pens on your kitchen counter, dining room table or any place family members will see it. Invite everyone to write down something they are thankful for in that moment and put it in the bowl. Maybe do this for a week leading up to a holiday (or even the day of!) and then when you are seated at a family meal, read it out loud together. It’s a conscious way to connect with your loved ones and kids especially love this activity! ** You can also express thanks for ancestors here too.
- Keep a gratitude journal. It’s a practice you’ve probably heard of. But have you ever actually kept one? It’s an excellent discipline to help you shift your focus from what’s missing in your life to instead shine the spotlight on the abundance you already have in your life! Once I started keeping a gratitude journal, it helped me to be more open and receptive to the abundance of good flowing my way. Simply dedicate a journal to your gratitude practice and write down 3-5 things each day that you’re grateful for. ** It’s especially helpful when you’re going through a challenging time in life.
- Say gratitude grace. Every time you have a meal, whether by yourself or with others, take a minute to express your gratitude for the food you’re about to eat, for your life and for any people or experiences that have brought you joy that day. When a group is gathered, invite each person to go around the table and speak aloud their feelings of appreciation in that moment. **Speaking gratitude in the moment helps to shift us to the present. Grief + gratitude can live side-by-side.
Giving voice to your blessings sends a message to the universe that you are grateful to receive which tends to prime the pump for more abundance and goodness to flow your way! If you already have a gratitude ritual that you do, I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment. Or if you decide to try one of these, let me know how it goes.
As always, I’m GRATEFUL you are here in my community,
Elizabeth
P.S. Oops, I almost forgot! If you’d like to join me for the Virtual Book Launch Party on Zoom tomorrow, Friday, November 17 from 12pm-1pm EST, register here! Wear a festive hat + bring a festive drink! 😊