With Thanksgiving coming around the corner, it’s a great time to think about our personal gratitude practice. Like many holidays, this American tradition of being thankful for the bounty of the harvest has evolved into a lot of different things. We know not everyone celebrates this holiday and many of our followers and listeners are not Americans, but all of us can certainly benefit from a daily gratitude practice. The last year and a half have been really hard for everyone, and we admit that sometimes finding ways to be grateful can be a real challenge. Even as we transition back to in-person work, teaching, socializing, and learning, we can feel overwhelmed and anxious. It’s hard to be grateful when life is hard. We get it.
If you haven’t already heard Toni’s song and learned it, this is a good time to go back and sing this song as your daily warm-up or as part of your mindfulness routine. Check out this song of gratitude:https://youtu.be/5kzJtnzmctM
FOR YOUR MIND AND BODY
A lot of research has sparked interest in the idea that if you practice gratitude or thankfulness your brain chemistry changes and so do your neurological pathways. Here is a good study to read:
Share your gratitude by baking this healthy pumpkin pie for your friends and loved ones.
Healthy Pumpkin Pie (less sugar and no processed flour)
Ingredients:
For the crust – Gluten-free version from scratch:
● 1 – heaping cup of almond flour
● 3 – tablespoons of coconut oil
● 1 – cage-free egg
● 2 – teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice mix (equivalent to – 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp ginger)
Ingredients for the pie filling:
● 1 – 15 oz. can of organic pumpkin
● 2 – tablespoons of pumpkin pie mix (2 & 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp ginger)
● 1 & 1/2 – teaspoons vanilla extract
● 3 – cage-free eggs
● 1/2 – cup stevia or monk fruit sugar
● 1/3 – cup of milk if needed to thin the filling, I like to use milk from my local dairy. It is the BOMB! But if you are dairy-free use coconut or almond milk
Instructions:
Start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees. While the oven is heating, mix together the crust ingredients in a large bowl. When the ingredients become dough-like, oil the pie pan and press the crust into the pan. When finished, put the pan in the oven for about 15 minutes, then remove.
You can start prepping the filling while the crust is baking. For this, add all ingredients except the milk into a food processor or mixer, then mix until smooth. Make sure to add the milk if needed to thin slightly. When finished, spread the filling into the crust pan and return to the oven. Let it bake for about 60 minutes.
When finished, remove the pan from the oven and let it cool for about an hour. The filling shouldn’t move when the pan is slightly shaken. Top with REAL whipped cream
FOR YOUR SPIRIT
Three steps to becoming more grateful this November:
- Give a high five to your heart – Put your hand on your heart and sing “I am Okay, I’m safe, I’m loved. Give your spirit and vagus nerve a lift. Be sure you inhale through your nose and make it long, slow and deep. See how long you can sing without taking a breath. This will help slow your breath and teach your nervous system that you don’t need to over breathe.
- Keep a daily journal of things you are grateful for – try to list at least three. We like this journal: https://www.amazon.com/Gratitude-Day-Night-Reflection-Journal/dp/1683835506/ref=sr_1_8?crid=58VM52LXDEQ0&dchild=1&keywords=gratitude+journal&qid=1634947233&sprefix=gratitude+jou%2Caps%2C557&sr=8-8
- Make it a point to tell people you care about how grateful you are for them.
Be sure to listen to our new podcast coming in November. We are back to work and have some exciting guests lined up!
Denise and Toni