Grace + Gratitude - What I learnt from Sarah Peck

I've been wanting to write this post for ages, not because I've been asked to but because of what happened when I signed up for this course - it became such a powerful time in my life and set off a year of some really significant changes in my life, ones that were truly magical.

Just before Christmas last year I was very lucky to be given a place on Sarah Peck's Grace and Gratitude e-course. I had been following her for a few months and her thoughts and ideas had really resonated with me so when I saw there was a chance of a scholarship place I applied straight away and was surprised and delighted when I received an email to say that I had one of the 5 places available. Full of excitement and anticipation I wondered what this course would have in store for me, never did I think I would become such a life changing moment...

Grace is learning to forgive yourself, and others, for the uncomfortable bits in life.
I'd had a difficult year dealing with some past conflict and how it had made me feel as well as how it had affected my relationships with others around me, developing my graceful side helped me to move on from these stuck moments I had found myself in.

Gratitude is remembering that there is already so much awesomeness around you.
I spent pretty much most of that year trying to cope with my infertility issues and again putting my life on pause because of frustration and sadness I felt that I couldn't have another baby. Practising gratitude help shine a light into the corners of my life that were so amazing already, and that I was totally missing out on too. That year we ended up having one of the best Christmases with our daughter that we ever had.

Grace taught me to be gentle and loving towards myself.
I wasn't feeling the love for myself at all, I was so angry at my body and lost faith in who I was, all I could do was focus on the woman who had lost her baby and still couldn't have another - this had become my identity. Learning about grace completely changed this, putting it in my heart brought out a new side of me and little did I know that as I was embarking on this journey my body was finally giving me what I had always wanted, by the end of the month I was pregnant and we welcomed our second daughter to the world in August.

Gratitude brings you closer to the world and the things you really need.
Learning to practice gratitude has not only enriched my life but those around me, I will admit I don't always remember to do it, especially if things start to spiral but it's something that helps me to climb back up out the black hole again. What's even more important is that I am now teaching my daughter to do it, it means a lot to me to raise my children in a mindful way and when life gets a bit rocky my husband and I try to remember to stop, take a step back, and acknowledge the bits that are going right and I can tell you it's made a huge difference, especially when we get mad at each other! 

Last of all I've learnt that what ever is around the corner, having grace and gratitude grounds you to embrace it, good or bad. 
To me, how you feel or choose to show your grace and gratitude to yourself and the world is such an individual thing, it's a personal journey and it seems right that we should all interpret it in our own way. Sarah helped introduce me to mine and I am very grateful for the opportunity and for her ongoing support. A year later and I am still learning more and seeing life more clearly, I find that when life gets tough, like it has done lately, going back to the roots of my grace and basics of acknowledging my gratitude helps me to ease out gently from the storm clouds and see the rainbows around me.

It's pretty special when someone else can open you up to a new way thinking or living your life. 

So, with the year drawing to a close I'd like to wish you all a Happy Christmas and I'll see you in the New Year!