When you become truly grateful for things that aren’t really things, you begin to realize how unimportant stuff really is. Real “my cup runneth over” moments don’t come from a store, or your closet. They come from experiencing joy, love and gratitude.
a few places I find joy and gratitude …
a day at the beach
solitude
catnaps
growth
reflection
travel
surprise (I didn’t see the cyclist when I took this picture)
the smell and sound of sizzle
sunsets
and I’m grateful for you, beautiful you. Your unique talents will brighten and change the world if you let them. Offer and share them. You deserve it. We deserve it.
What brings you true joy?
–my husband’s total abandonment on the guitar
–the feeling of peace that comes with a day of rest
–getting to spend time with my beloved ones
What a great post!
Thanks for your joyful contributions Emily.
Mahalo for sharing those photos. Absolutely wonderful.
Feeling so much gratitude this year. Today what many are calling Black Friday we are have chosen to join the White Friday movement.
Harvesting our own coffee and getting it ready to roast, giving the abundance of avocados and papayas along with some of our left over food to those who live outdoors here in Hawaii.
Cleaning the house and keeping it clutter free.
Sending notes to people and letting them know we are thinking of them during this holiday filled with gratitude.
Aloha wags!
Jt, Sounds like you are embracing the holidays in the best possible way. Glad to hear things are going so well!
Beautiful pics Courtney, and beautiful words!
I love to watch my family, my 4 grown kids and their spouses/others talk and interact, and their interaction with my 7 grandkids, their nieces and nephews. We could hang out together for hours… It just doesn’t happen often enough.
Blessings!
Bernice
Happy Holidays Bernice, I’m glad you are enjoying such a special time with your family.
Today, more than usual, I am grateful for my boyfriend and my dog, who don’t want a new TV or new video games, who just want to spend time with me cuddling (the boyfriend) and chasing rope toys (the dog). We slept off our food coma, until 1 pm, missing all of the Black Friday madness. Today we celebrated Nap Friday.
Sarah! Nap Friday sounds decadent and wonderful.
I love Nap Friday…a wonderful and inexpensive way to continue giving Thanks and avoid the stores and save money in the process ☺.
Peace,
Siggi in Downeast Maine,
1. fragrant flowers
2. my career, stenography
3. space and time
4. the sound of rain and jazz music
5. my fluffy white cat
6. porch rocking chairs — sipping ice-cold cinnamon tea, eating salsa/chips on mine
7. massages
9. 2-4 hour car rides
10. heart of a watermelon
11. warm island temperatures, cool breezes
12. my hanging crystals — and the liquid rainbows they produce
13. ping pong
14. organics
15. hot springs, stars, soft sand, crystal clear waters — nature
oh, and soft, comfortable fabrics like bamboo, cashmere, and pima cotton!
Do love Growth (learning) just like you, and family/friends like everyone else.
Great photography! Courtney, as always, thank-you for sharing.
I have so much to be thankful for. Loving family, amazing husband, sweet little doggie. Life is good. 😀
Just astonishing photos! Such beautiful photography beings me great joy! Thank you for sharing 🙂
Beautiful photos! So true that joy doesn’t come from the store. Although I do love giving gifts that are truly meaningful to my loved ones, especially when it’s something I’ve made just uniquely for them.
My joy list:
hugs from my kids
kisses from my hubby
talks with my friends
watching my kids learn
hearing how people grow
A beautiful series of images..and reminders of the small things for which we are grateful. Wonderful Thanksgiving post!
nice.
Loved your post! And the pics were beautiful and inspiring!
My joy-list can be summed up to two things: includes the people I love and memory capital. (I read a great article on creating “memory capital” or life experiences to draw on in less happy times.) Although there is sure something amazing about staying in the present most of the time, isn’t there?
Hope you had a great weekend!
Beautiful photography and post!
Great joy can be found in lots of small moments. At least that is where I find them.
This morning after teaching classes it felt great to see how people left the class after their meditation. I just sat down and felt grateful to have shared this class with those people.
Thank you, for sharing this wonderful post Courtney.
Have a wonderful day,
Benny
Moments with my sweet orange tabby cat. A glance from my husband. Peace of my home. Thank you for asking the question I will be keeping this in mind as the week proceeds. The photos were just lovely.
husband glances are great. A sexy wink is always welcome too!
Listening to our old Labs snore….watching my husband sleep…hearing the train across the river…enjoying our space minus the clutter. A brightly-lit Christmas tree…the wind whistling outside and we’re snug and warm.
Happy Holidays to All! Thanks, Courtney, for the beautiful post!
Susan,
I love listening to my dog snore too. Hope you are well and enjoying the holiday season. Sounds like you are. xoxo
I have just discovered your blog and really love it. Could I quote your first 3 lines of this post on my blog? It is http://piggywhistles.blogspot.com/. I would of course give you the credit and link back to your blog. I think your words are really poignant.
Life has been a bit rocky lately and I will have to think about your true joy question for a while.
Wonderful post Courtney! I am working on training my mind to find those ‘cup runneth over’ moments all day, every day. I want a mindset where ‘true joy’ happens constantly, inspired by everything. Thank you for your words. 🙂
Inspired post!
I myself prefer sunrise because its the first light for the new great day. 🙂
Have a nice day!