#97: Gratitude

 🌅 A BRIEF MEDITATION

Take in this astonishingly high view of the Crimean Mountains.

Imagine standing tall, your feet firmly planted on the rugged stone. As clouds roll over the summit, they cast a dreamlike veil over the landscape.

Occasionally, small gaps reveal the lush landscape below.

Gratitude works similarly. The more accepting and appreciative we learn to become, the higher we go. The higher the vantage point, the more we gain wisps of clarity.

When you're ready, take a deep breath in. When in doubt, zoom out.

➜ Go to your dashboard*

_{*Add photo to your dashboard by going to Settings (gear-shaped icon in the lower left-hand corner) > Photos > +Add Photo. Don’t have Plus? Start a free trial here!}

⚡️ MANTRA BREAKDOWN

No matter who or where we are in life, the present moment is all we truly have.

In fact, it's the only thing we're ever capable of experiencing.

Life is just a (limited) string of present moments.

Learning to embrace whatever is happening (and whatever you're feeling) right now can be immensely liberating and energizing.

You'll grow more resilient. You'll expand who you become. You'll unlock a deeper wellspring of joy and love.

When the present moment poses hardship or discomfort, we can thank it for the opportunity for growth. When it’s cause for celebration, we can drink it in and share that joy with others.

Every moment is worth our full attention. Every second can be seen as a gift if you so choose.

➜ Go to my dashboard*

_{*Add mantra (or quotes) to your dashboard by going to Settings (gear-shaped icon in the lower left-hand corner) > choose Mantras or Quotes > Add Mantra/Quote. Don’t have Plus? Start a free trial here!}

 🎯 CHALLENGE OF THE MONTH

Expressing gratitude makes you feel good now and later. And feeling good leads to higher levels of focus, creativity, and joy.

Still, it takes intention to rewire your brain to think this way all the time.

This week, we're using the power of habit tracking to help you strengthen your gratitude muscle.

Gratitude can be expressed in a variety of ways:

• Sending a simple text to a friend saying "Randomly thought of you today – thank you for being awesome"

• Showing appreciation for your body with a 10-minute body scan meditation

• Pausing mindfully between bites of a delicious meal

HOW TO ENTER THE CHALLENGE:

1. Start a Plus trial for free. (Skip this step if you're already a Plus user!)

2. Add a metric around a habit you'd like to improve. We suggest gratitude, but it can be something else that matters to you!

3. Submit a screenshot of your metric to [email protected] by Monday, May 13, 2024, for a chance to win one FREE year of Plus! We're picking 3 winners at random! 🧠 ✨

🌎 IT’S ALL GOOD (NEWS)

Here are a few stories that may spark curiosity and wonder. ✨

• 🍪 Health: USDA Updates Rules for School Meals Limiting Added Sugars for the First Time

• 👁 Biotech: Restoring Sight Is Possible Now With Optogenetics

• 🪐 Space: Voyager-1 Sends Readable Data Again From Deep Space

• 🍷 LOL: London Marathon “Wine Guy” on How He Sampled 25 Wines During Race