As the cycle of the year comes to a close, many of us are emotionally exhausted from what has been a challenging year on so many levels. It would be easy to wave 2020 goodbye with a good riddance, but in doing so, we might miss an opportunity to rise and evolve our human nature.

Read more below or watch the video… I made it really pretty for you 🙂

Whatever you’re going through or recovering from right now, please remember the wisdom of the cycles. Everything is in perpetual motion. Nothing is permanent in life, all that rises eventually passes away.

Winter solstice on December 21st is the sun’s birthday, a pivotal point in the wheel of the year. Energetically it’s aligned with the first day of our menstrual cycle and the dark or new moon phase in the lunar cycle. The perfect moment to reflect on the experiences and challenges of the cycle closing, and celebrate the positive aspects with a gratitude practice.

I’ll be sharing 4 of my favourite gratitude practices with you, to help you avoid emotional exhaustion by shifting your perspective and raising your vibration. I’ll reveal the best times in the menstrual and lunar cycle to apply them so you can live in harmony with these natural rhythms.

Gratitude shows us that even though we can’t always change our situation, we can change our attitude towards it. While it’s important to stay informed about world events, we also need to make sure we’re taking time out from all the stressful headlines and social media threads to give ourselves a break and avoid emotional exhaustion.

This also applies to our menstrual cycle. Often we think of our period as an inconvenience, especially if it’s painful or leaves us physically drained and unable to go about our usual tasks. But when we shift our perspective and use it as an opportunity to rest, recharge and rebirth ourselves, it has the potential to become something quite magical.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase, where our attention goes, energy flows?

We often passively consume negative stories and ideas and this can lead to emotional exhaustion, anxiety and depression. Choosing instead to actively celebrate positive experiences, no matter how small, can boost our mood and wellbeing.

Stepping out of feeling ‘the victim’ in a challenging situation and into a place of acceptance is the first step, but not always easy in times like these. It helps me to remember that the present can only be what it is. Life isn’t out to get me or my neighbour, life just is. From this place, from this IS-ness, we can see our challenges as opportunities to grow and free ourselves from old patterns.

Developing a gratitude practice is the most powerful way to shift our mindset from the negative to the positive. It really helps us to see our glass half full instead of half empty.

My 4 favourite gratitude practices

1. Daily evening gratitude share

Every evening, my husband and I share a minimum of 3 things to be grateful for. If you don’t have a partner or housemate to share with, why not arrange with a friend who’d also like to develop a gratitude practice? You could message each other every evening.

Of these 3 things, I always like to include something someone else did for me. Often I include my husband in that, it’s great for him to feel appreciated. He doesn’t always realise what it is I’m grateful for, so it’s really nurturing for our relationship. Or it might be something that happened, and an event that felt like it was for you. Say you’re out for a walk and a beautiful rainbow appeared.

I also like to include something I did for myself. This really helps to ensure I’m focusing on self-care and the goals I want to achieve. Because if there’s nothing there at the end of the day, then I realise that I need to step this up the following day. It could be just as simple as; I’m grateful I made myself a green smoothie or had a relaxing bath. Or that I actually got up and faced the day, some days that’s enough. It doesn’t have to be big things, gratitude can be really simple.

2. Keep a gratitude journal 

Journaling is a great way to develop an attitude of gratitude. Treat yourself to a brand new notebook and dedicate it to your practice. Find a little space at the end of your day to list at least 3 things you’re grateful for. If you enjoy drawing you could sketch or paint something. Or maybe add something you found like a flower or 4 leaf clover. If you’ve had a really special day, then why not leave space and print a photograph to add later.

Journaling is especially useful when we experience those low moments in the cycle, reading your gratitude journal acts as a natural pick me up. Reminding you of all the wonderful things in your life.

3. Monthly Mandala gratitude practice 

On day 3 or 4 of my menstrual cycle, I go out into nature for a mindful walk and collect the fruits and foliage of the season in my basket. Everything I take, I say “thank you” as I pick. This is a really great way to be grateful to Mother Nature for the bountiful gifts she gives us. I take my basket off into the woods or onto our land. I find a place that feels resonant and make an Earth offering by creating a mandala. This for me is a really powerful way to connect my cycle with the earth cycle and the delights of each season. Once the mandala feels complete, I sit and meditate. I look back to the last time I sat with a mandala and reflect on what’s happened since then. What can I be truly grateful for in the month gone by? Who can I be grateful for? Who is in my life and my realm, how can honour that connection and relationship?

If you are planning a monthly gratitude practice then the best time in the menstrual cycle is in your Inner Winter phase, the time of your period. I find day 3 or 4 is an ideal time for me as I emerge into the Inner Spring phase.

If you’re not menstruating and you could follow the moon cycle. The new/dark moon phase, the Lunar winter is a perfect time when the energies are aligned.

Tracking the phases of your menstrual cycle or the lunar cycle is easy with our clocks, they’re battery-powered so you’ll always know what phase you’re in.

4. Gratitude walk with a friend

A gratitude walk is a really wonderful way to share and get to know someone better. As you’re walking, bring your attention to things that are happening and the people in your life that you’re grateful for. Or maybe you’re grateful for the beautiful colour of the Autumn leaves, or the sunlight that’s coming through, or the fresh air that you’re breathing as you walk. It’s nice to take it in turns and really listen to your friend, you’ll get to know them so much better by learning what they truly care about. As well as being heard in everything that you’re feeling and experiencing in your own life.

So those are my favourite 4 gratitude practices, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below which resonated with you. Which could you commit to adopting into your life? A regular gratitude practice is a really great way to nurture a positive mindset and develop an attitude of gratitude.

Thank you for reading 🙂 I appreciate your comments, likes, shares and subscriptions. It all helps me to extend my reach and help more people live in harmony with the natural cycles.