Welcome to The Gratitude Division for December 2023! I have so much that I'm grateful for this year and I hope that you've been actively paying more attention to the good in your life too. One of the best things about a regular gratitude practice is that it often leads you to notice all the small things that go well, enabling us to really savour the good stuff. Often, that stuff isn't the fancy thing we bought or the expensive night out we had, it's the opportunities to be with friends, to make memories, to feel appreciated and express our appreciation for others. That's the really good stuff.
I hope that you're finding lots of small wonders in your own life these days! And without further ado, here are some of the things I was grateful for this month.
Zoominescence!
For the last few years, my husband and I have gone to the Zoominescence light show at the River Valley Zoo in Edmonton, Alberta. Some years have been
very cold, but it is always worth the trip and is a pretty low-cost outing! It's kind of become our tradition now and I look forward to it every year.
My neighbourhood's walking paths!
The weather has been beautiful for walking and I'm lucky to live in a neighbourhood that has some nearby walking trails. They can get icy sometimes, but mostly they've been clear or packed snow this month. I find that as the days get shorter and the nights get longer it's even more important for me to get outside into the daylight regularly. I'll listen to audiobooks usually, but sometimes music, and if the birds are chirping I'll turn off my audio to listen to them instead. I usually encounter at least a few people out walking their dogs, who I am always happy to say hello to, and it leaves me pink cheeked and feeling more connected to my community.
 |
| Our Quiet Year Map - after Spring & Summer |
I've been wanting to play this game for a few years now. A podcast I really enjoy played the game in a lead up to that season's dungeons and dragons campaign. It's hard to describe The Quiet Year - on the surface, you make a map together. But it is so much more than that. It's a story telling game, but the game process walks you through the telling of that story. I know I'm explaining it very poorly; all I can say is that it's amazing and I'll link two podcasts that have played it, so you can see some examples.
I am grateful that I finally had the opportunity to play this month! Some other social plans were cancelled at the last minute due to illness, but my friends Ashley and Brad were free and willing to give this game a go. We decided to make it North Pole themed and Brad DJ'd Christmas Carols all night on old-school vinyl! It got very silly very quickly, in the best possible way; I will definitely play The Quiet Year again.
Do you have any social games you like to play? I'm always open to recommendations.
I hope that you have a happy, healthy, and safe holiday season!
Cheers,
Petrina
p.s. While this post was focusing on gratitude, I know that this time of year can be difficult for many people. If you find that you're struggling with your mental health through the holidays, know that you are not alone. There are mental health resources available in every community; if you think you could use some support or a friendly ear, do a search for the supports in your city, province/state, country. My practice, Calder Mental Health Services, will be closed through to the new year, but if you live in Alberta here is a link to some supports that are available in our province. Sometimes the best gift you can give yourself is taking the first steps to get the help you need. Be generous with yourself.
Comments
Post a Comment