The dark invites me to see what is important, essential and real.

I appreciate the Thomas Merton quote today – you do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.

I can add beauty to life today by consciously pausing to take on the beauty all around and trusting and allowing it to shine through …

Resources include a quiet, gentle, intelligent, caring presence; deep listening; writing, and a genuine desire to bring compassion to self and others. I look forward to connecting more fully with gratefulness and the unleashing!

The invitation and challenge to stay open and curious, to learn and grow, to discern whether/ not and how to engage, and to stay rooted and focused on who and what I value most.

Today’s Zulu word of the day – a person is a person because of other people. Seems to touch that place of yesterday’s question, of finding the balance between solitude and relationship with others in community which shapes us.

Keep minding the ‘mind trains’, holding them with compassion, and exploring grateful living practices to look and move in a positive direction.

Dear Kristi, Thank you so much for this helpful post! Your words point to a simple, clear and affirming path. It feels like a big and challenging project to learn these practices. I appreciate your pairing mindfulness with compassion and gratefulness. Some of those mind trains need a whole lot of patience and kindness to change course. Sincere thanks for this and all that you and the gratefulness team share so generously!

Feeling and being connected with life makes me happy. Spending time with family and friends, in/ with nature and the elements, playing the piano, singing and experiencing good music, dancing, walking, hiking, cycling, being with dogs and other animals, being with children and young people, reading a good book, writing…

I am with Ben, Aine and Always Learning. As I learn to find and express compassion for myself, so I am able to offer, share and express it with others.

Family and friends. Faith and other community. Spiritual practices and prayer.. A safe, stable, quiet home. Professional healers. Solitude. Kind, generous, good people. Connecting with nature. Pretty much any practice that facilitates a shift from thoughts and emotions to body/mind , and especially heart – yoga, mediation, reading, writing, drawing, walking, hiking, cycling…

As powerful, compelling and important as they are, I think feelings and thoughts are fleeting. Being grateful is perhaps rooted in a deeper place in the body/mind, and invites thoughts and actions from that place of greater awareness and consciousness.

I can take a slow, conscious, full-bodied breath in… and out …

Beautiful Aine! I love that phrase – solitude to restore our tissues! That so sums it up! Also, I resonate with your naming the temptation to dive too deeply and indulge in the mud! Indeed, the mirrors and energy of people and life around us are so essential! …

Hi Anna, Thanks so much for your throughtful reflection. I resonated with your process of connecting with your inner world first, and the people, community and natural world that offered the wonder and joy! Also thanks for mentioning Kristi Nelson’s blog. So helpful and affirming. Best for your day! ????????????

Thanks Aine for sharing the wisdom of your teacher. Good to know that there are indeed rewards for taking on the challenges of learning to take good care of oneself!

Beautiful Ben…

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Francine Marie, I so appreciate your post, and your heartfelt poetry even more. Hurrah for your beautiful heart which you share so generously! ???????????? Warmly, KC