Things to be grateful for

1. Walk in my shoes and I will walk in yours!
2. Saying “thank you” can, sometimes, save your life
3. Light up someone’s heart

What does gratitude mean to you? What is one thing from today that you are grateful for?

Christmas is a celebration of gratefulness, of being thankful for the gifts that life gave us. Is the time of the year in which, taking a moment for us, we say thank you to people, to situations, to tears, to ups and downs for teaching us some important lessons. So let’s use this time wisely and purposely!

When a year is ending and a new one is starting, the film of our lives goes rewind, showing us the beautiful and not so nice moments of our past 12 months.

Take a deep breath…
Inhale 1…2…3…4…5
Exhale 1…2…3…4…5

Close your eyes and remember a moment in which your soul smiled, where someone brought you happiness, someone made you feel safe and good. That is the feeling that we want to keep with us in our year to come! “Her” name is gratitude.

Gratitude is a positive emotion that moves us when we are receiving a present, or when we are the beneficiaries of a positive act. It is an emotion that brings love into our hearts and makes our bodies feel relaxed. It prevents disease and reduces stress by at least 23 %. So finding moments in your daily life to acknowledge the positive elements in your life, can:

1. Increase your mood and bring more hope and happiness.
2. Decrease depression and increase optimism, focus and creativity.

All in all, feeling grateful has a positive impact on your wellbeing and connectedness, with yourself and with your environment.

So why not be the agent of gratitude for someone else?

We saw from the last post on our blog, how important it is to express emotions and to tell what you feel to people around you. In Marly Camino, we believe actions speak louder than words. This Christmas say, I LOVE YOU, to someone and observe what this does to yourself and the people around you. I am sure everyone has in their life a person that will be more than grateful for receiving an opportunity of self-reflection and walking El Camino de Santiago.

I invite you into a short journey together. El Camino de Santiago is all about journeys no?

Think about a period in your life in which you really needed someone, where you felt lonely, hopeless, you had the thought that nothing is worth it and all your efforts and actions are not reaching anywhere. Who was next to you? Identify that person that “saved” you, that showed gratitude and love, from their deep heart. Close your eyes and imagine that person. Say thank you for being there for you when you most needed

If they are still close, or around, write them a letter or send them a message.
How do you feel right now? What is your emotional state?
Would you like to be that person for someone?
It’s the perfect moment to change the life of those who have changed yours!