The holiday season is a wonderful time of year. Filled with well wishes, lots of merry and maybe a little craziness. Taking time to feel grateful about big and little things in your life during the next few weeks is the best way to change craziness into calm and truly feel the spirit of love and giving. Here are some of my favorite ways to practice gratitude outdoors.

1. Start a gratitude journal. Visit your favorite outdoor setting regularly to capture your thoughts. Write down the things in your life that you are grateful for--big and small. It will shift your perception, helping you to see old things in a new way. And you will soon find out that your life is pretty perfect as it is. No more striving. Just appreciation for what you have now. 

2. Look at the night sky and thank your lucky stars for all of the blessings in your life. Do this often and you will start to feel  a "bigger than you" presence.

3. Explore someplace new outside. We just got back from a wonderful trip to Death Valley National Park. What an amazingly expansive beautiful place. Throughout the trip I felt that I was meant to be there and so grateful that I was. I felt joy and wonder everyday as we explored the park. And, I am still carrying those feelings now. You don't have to travel that far...explore a new park, foot path, forest trail, beach or other green space near your home. Go with a sense of adventure, joy will bubble up, and you will naturally feel thankful that you are in that place in that moment.

4. Take children on a nature walk. You will catch their natural exuberance. They will ask you questions, show you what they discovered, and thank-you for taking them. And you will be grateful for making the choice to share the experience with them.

5. Take a gratitude walk. Check out this link to a post I wrote earlier about a super easy activity that will keep you balanced and appreciative of all the goodness in your life. 

Now it's your turn. What are you grateful for? Do you have any special ways that you practice gratitude? Please join the conversation and share in the comments below.

Happy Holidays Everyone!

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