For the past seven days, I’ve been emailing the five things I am most grateful for to a dear friend who challenged me to do it for five consecutive days. Almost every night, my daughters and I tell each other 3 things we loved about our day and we discuss some of the things we didn’t like so much. This past week, I took it further (A BIG step!) by sharing those grateful moments with someone outside of my immediate family. It turns out that the seventh day was the day right before Thanksgiving (Canada) so today is a review of those emails. To celebrate, I have decided to take it even further and share with you all. There is something about this practice that helps you feel taller, clearer and that your offerings to the world matter when you give and receive from the heart.
Here it goes, 2 of the 7 entries:
(Email 1)
1. INTELLIGENCE: I am incredibly grateful for having a highly functioning brain that allows me to think complex thoughts.
2. RUNNING WATER: I am so thankful for being able to have hot lemon/water to drink and not have to walk miles simply to get muddy water.
3. CREATIVITY: I am oh so thrilled that my creative talents lead me to the most incredible surprises.
4. BIRTH: I looooove waking up early and hearing the girls breathing while they sleep, grateful for that quiet moment.
5. BODY: I am delighted to have a body that is pain-free with legs that can take me places every single day.
BONUS: LIFE – I am grateful for every breath I take.
(Email 7)
1. SELF-APPRECIATION: Today I am grateful that I really see how big I have become… or rather appreciate how big I have always been.
2. VALIDATION: I am thankful to have inspired another woman on her journey, that really warms my heart.
3. AMAZEMENT: I am eternally grateful for the magic I bring to my life.
4. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE: I am oh so yummily blessed that I got lots and lots of ‘true love kisses’ from little B today!
5. MAKING A DIFFERENCE: I am grateful that right now I feel heard and that I matter.
BONUS: MY GIRLS FEELING AWESOME ABOUT THEMSELVES! A very good diner with the ones I love most where we easily shared the many things we are grateful for…we ran out of fingers to count them on!
Something happened to take me even deeper during this process. Re-reading my list, I am happy to see a life so full of love and creativity and the one thing that jumps at me the most is that MY GIRLS FEEL AWESOME ABOUT THEMSELVES. To see them confident and proud and ready to take on the world, I know I’ve done something right and in following my dreams I also teach them that it’s not only OK for them to go after theirs, it’s essential! Sure, things get in the way… but those ‘things’ are there for a reason. The next step is teaching my art to fly!
What are you most grateful for in your life today? Tell your child, email a friend, talk to a neighbor, sit back and watch the magic happen!
NATHALIE DIGNARD 
Nathalie. What a beautiful entry. Knowing that your girls feel good about themselves is such a huge huge thing. Both of your girls are beautiful, intelligent, fantastic creations. But how hard it is sometimes to realize that in oneself. I know what it feels like when a daughter looks into a mirror and says “Oh, I like today. I’m beautiful, I’m smart!”. This is how we measure success as a parent!
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Such a great feeling indeed. Thank you Karen, that makes me smile. To look at ourselves with the same amazement…it’s hard to remember sometimes that those little eyes are always watching 🙂
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