It’s Not Just Saying You’re Grateful
Sterling Hawkins
Best-Selling Author | Globally Recognized Growth Keynote Speaker | Award-Winning Thought Leader | 1M+ No Matter What Movement
How’s that for a blog title this time of year?
This is the time of year when many people, in the U.S. at least, will talk about gratitude and how grateful they are. I know, mind-blown already.
But that’s really only less than half of the equation.
There’s something else.?
A few weeks back I was doing some field work in the Peruvian Amazon. And by field work I mean experiential research with an indigenous group called the Shipibo. I was there to learn from them, go through some of their rituals and ceremonies and see how I would grow. If you haven’t kept up with the whole story, you can read part 1, part 2 and part 3?of my blog about my experience and learning there.?
One of the key aspects of the practices, and I knew this going in, was what’s called dry fasting. That means no food and no water. No water (or liquid products like sunscreen or toothpaste) can touch your body or go into your body during the period of dry fasting.?
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Daily fasts were about 24 hours. That became a bit routine going through it on a daily basis. But my longest fast was almost 54 hours — more than 2 days with no sustenance and no water in the sweltering jungles of the Amazon. It’s hard to put into words what exactly it’s like unless you’ve been through something similar. Hunger pangs I can deal with. The taste and dryness in my mouth (not to mention the rest of my body) was something else…?
And then the time came. There’s a bell they ring when the fast is over and you can consume again. It’s kind of like the ice cream truck of the Shipibo — you hear that music and it just lights you up.?
The first sip of water was like breathing for the first time. I said a short prayer before eating, but when I put that first bit of intentionally bland, unflavored and unsalted food in my mouth, a feeling of gratitude overwhelmed me. Every cell in my body exuded an enormous thank you. I actually felt gratitude for that food and water in my bones, it was so deep. And that experience has stuck with me.?
It’s not just saying you’re grateful. It’s feeling it.?
Prior to that experience, I often did say I was grateful and thankful for things; to be clear I was. And you might find yourself, this time of year doing something similar. But just using words of thanks is not the same as actually feeling it. Cultivating the human experience of gratitude is something else entirely.?
This Thanksgiving, I invite you to pause, slow down and take at least a moment to experience?gratitude for yourself. It will make all the difference. I know I, for one, will never again take even the simplest things we enjoy for granted and?be forever on that myself.
Happy Thanksgiving.?
Experienced Leader focused on delivering profitable growth through Personalization and Loyalty to clients in Grocery and Drug industries
2 年So well Said!!!! For me, the feeling of gratitude and thanksgiving was never so strong as when I think back to the time when I was primary caregiver to my younger sister who was fighting cancer. The doctors in her town said they had no more ideas and they stopped treatment. . She came to live with me in Pittsburgh and received treatment for 10 more months at UPMC Magee Women's Hospital. After treatment ended, we had hospice coming into our home for many months. I am so grateful for this time! I was able to give my sister many good days filled with laughter and we went for rides, visited our Dad, had friends over for dinner, and even went swimming once (wheelchair and oxygen in tow). My heart is full of thanksgiving for the months we shared!! Now don't get me wrong. That experience sucked! It was horrible in so many ways. But, we must see the good in such situations - like the trips you have described. Find the glimmer of beauty and be thankful. I am forever thankful for my sister and the 16 months we shared together in Pittsburgh.
Retired and serving others
2 年I remember doing some mission work in Haiti. Very hot all the time and we did a lot of digging and hauling. After 5 days our hosts took us to one of Haiti's resorts that had a pool. After all those days of sweating in the sun with plenty of warm water to drink that cool water in the pool and a glass of ice water felt amazing. I had a wonderful feeling of gratitude come over me.
Customer Service and Customer Experience Expert | Keynote Speaker | NYT Bestselling Author | Shep helps companies deliver AMAZING customer service experiences!
2 年A great Thanksgiving message, Sterling Hawkins. It reminds me that actions speak louder than words. Say it versus mean it. Two different things. Happy Thanksgiving, Sterling. (And I mean it!)
Keynote Speaker, Pianist & Grammy Nominated Artist bridging music, business and inspiration to empower leaders worldwide ????
2 年Gratitude - arguably the most powerful of all emotions as it keeps us in a state of grace and humility!
Risk and Business Advisory Services, Alternative Insurance solutions with a focus on harder to place and growing businesses.
2 年Sterling Hawkins more powerful to be grateful as much as feel it, perhaps they are the same. Being grateful means I m living it every day, it's a part of who I am.