Conclusions

  • Practising gratitude doesn’t stop my monkey mind from doing somersaults and back-flips when I’m not looking but it does seem hold me in its loving arms and prevent me joining in the frivolity.
  • It is early days but it would appear that finding reasons to be grateful for what I have also creates a more solution oriented environment for my mind.
  • And for the no-brainer that makes this experiment worth doing all on its own – I am genuinely appreciating the people in my life more and suddenly my world seems a more kind and generous place.

So, since writing the rationale for this experiment yesterday, I have experienced doubt and anxiety about the two areas of my life that are currently nestled deeply in uncertainty – where I am going to live and what I am going to be doing. This has been combined with a realisation that I cannot continue in the same way I have been, which initially evoked the anxiety that was bred from uncertainty.

However, just like when I programmed my mindset for love (and perhaps because I have previously programmed my mindset for love), because yesterday I programmed my mindset for gratitude, I was able to keep the anxiety in perspective and observe the frolicking of my monkey mind instead of descending into fear. It was like my monkey was playing in a playpen and the loving arms of gratitude were holding me back from taking my shoes off and jumping in.

The other thing I have noticed today is that this distance has created a more solution oriented environment in which my mind can operate. So extending the monkey in the playpen metaphor, while watching the frolicking I was able to recognise the reasons the monkey was jumping and allow solutions to arise. What was even more amazing was that I was then able to act on those solutions immediately and/or see the reasons for the jumping with clarity, not fear.

And of course the monkey, exhausted from its efforts and satisfied that its message had been conveyed, lay down and had a nap – no more anxiety.

I am reminded again, of the sage words of Richard Miller from iRest (and many other teachers, including from my own lineage) – emotions are just signposts for stuff that needs to be noticed, so that you can deal with it.

And finally, I am smiling and thanking everyone. I am not apologising, I am thanking and not just with my words but with my heart. I am genuinely appreciating the people I encounter and suddenly my world seems a more kind and more generous place. I am wondering if looking for reasons to be grateful in my own life extends into looking for reasons to be grateful for the people I encounter.

Results at the end of Day-1? I have a lot for which to be grateful.