I was out on a walk Friday morning when I was suddenly overwhelmed with gratitude for you all. Not just for those currently dancing, but for everyone I’ve ever had the privilege of moving with over these past 13 years. I’m so deeply grateful that I get to do what I love with you, friend. Thank you for making Aya all that it has been—and all that it is.
As I walked, I kept thinking about gratitude… and how natural it feels when life is flowing smoothly. But what about when things feel hard? Or challenging. Or terrible. Is it possible to experience gratitude during those times as well?
What might it be like to practice finding the goodness within the hard stuff? Not beside it. Not by turning away from it towards something sunnier. But right there, in the middle of it. What can I find to be grateful for, even amidst what feels challenging?
Oof. I don’t think I’ve practiced gratitude in that way as often. How about you, friend?
So, as we dance, we’ll explore gratitude again. We can definitely sense for and honor all the beauty, joy, and ease around and within us… but, this week, maybe we also explore what it is to lean into a different kind of gratitude—the kind we can access even within discomfort, pain, challenge, frustration, or heartache.
What might you be grateful for there?
Maybe it’s as simple as a lesson learned from that pain. Or perhaps there’s something else waiting to be uncovered?
Ok, friend. So... I don't know if this is always possible, or mean to say it is always preferable. I definitely don't mean that we should just pretend everything is always fine. Or "don't complain, just be grateful." It seems oh so important to feel whatever we truly feel -- including the grief, the heartache, the pain.
Buuuuuut... what if the ability to find gratitude right there, amidst the difficulty, is a skill that can also be helpful to cultivate?
Quick note about this exploration: I don't recommend looking for what sucksthis week, so to speak. :) Rather, just if you find yourself experiencing a painful moment, a trigger, etc... or if there is one area of your life right now that is more challenging, perhaps try this practice out. Maybe not right in the first moments of whatever it is. But when you've had a little time, and can explore it in a new way. Does it help at all?
Or perhaps there is an amount of time that needs to lapse. Another idea we could explore: Is it possible to look back at a painful moment from your past and find something about it to be grateful for? Not gratitude for the pain itself, necessarily, but for - I don't know - something that the experience eventually led to? Maybe a trait it helped you cultivate? A change of direction? A lesson in how not to be? Or....?
As always, I can’t wait to see what we discover together this week. Thanks so much for reading and exploring with me—see you soon!
💛 Dani
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