Gratitude
Copyright 2013 Janet Hovde
In college our Ballroom Dancing instructor taught us the “Hesitation Step,” which was a sort of shuffling back and forth to keep the flow of a dance going if you forgot a step or were in a tight corner or on a crowded dance floor. It kept you moving and prevented you from getting into trouble.
It’s easy for me to keep moving, but not always in a “trouble-free” way. This past week, more than one person has advised me to push myself less, take it easier, and go with the flow. This is different than my frequent sense of urgency and paddling madly regardless of the direction and speed of any flow.
And so I am requesting alignment with Divine Order and Divine Timing. To support this alignment, one of the most effective actions I can take is to practice gratitude.
I am grateful for love and beauty and joy and peace and sweetness and clarity . . . I am grateful for my family, friends, clients, students, mentors, patrons, colleagues . . . I am grateful for completing my first art quilt inspired by one of my little gouache paintings. Next week, I’ll show you my second art quilt based on the same painting but using different techniques.
And . . . brand new gratitude, before 7:00 a.m. . . one of our neighbors is going up and down our block blowing this new snow out of everyone’s driveways. Yay!
Do you have any difficulty taking it easy, going with the flow? If so, what is your approach to shifting this pattern?
Hope you find the alignment you need. Also hope there isn’t some new stress in your life to cause people to tell you to slow down. Wishing you always the best
Thanks, Janet! No new stress. Just old patterns of having an indiscriminate sense of urgency. My problems relate to an abundance of blessings . . . I am not complaining! But moving into being in a better flow with them.
I love how you transformed your painting into a quilt. Did you hand dye the fabric?
Hi Kim. Yes, I did hand-dye the fabric. And I am working on transforming another painting into a quilt, a bigger one. More hand-dyeing scheduled for this week, oh, yum!
Janet,
Your message is such a universal one. When I read this part of your entry: And so I am requesting alignment with Divine Order and Divine Timing. To support this alignment, one of the most effective actions I can take is to practice gratitude My breathing changed and my chest felt wide open. That was the nugget for me. Thanks for sharing your journey!
Carol, Oh, thank you for sharing your physical changes with this post. Always, my intention is that my words and art hold healing energy. So glad you were open to receiving!
When I’m feeling stuck or overwhelmed I turn to Joel Osteen. I have him set to record weekly on my DVR and he NEVER lets me down. This week he spoke on “Get Over It.” My husband received some bad news on Tuesday and we sat down this morning and watched it together instead of going to church and by the time it was finished I could see the countenance in his face had shifted dramatically. Because at the end of the day the only thing that really matters is finding your way back to LOVE.
Julie, Thank you for sharing what works for you. I watched a recorded Oprah show last night with Joel Osteen, yes, very helpful. I am sorry your husband received bad news, and glad for the comfort found. Blessings to you.
I love your quilt and your expressions of gratitude and willingness to ask for what you need. I am also requesting alignment with Divine Order and Divine Timing…may we all find that space of comfort and ease along our journey!
Michele, Thank you. So be it!
Oh goodness yes. Today I am in the company of my mother and her presence gives me calm. Otherwise I’d be racing around fighting the flow. 🙂
I love this. I am so grateful that my world is filled with people like yourself who love peace and gratitude and are kind and artistic. I don’t watch the news. Why would I when I can spend my time reading posts like this?
Oh, and I wanted to add – yesterday, I was walking into the office and I noticed myself rushing for no apparent reason. I slowed down, breathed, and recognized that there is no need to rush, hardly ever.
Your quilt is lovely! I’m such a believer in gratitude practices – for me it shifts everything into expansion, and then it’s so much easier to be in flow. May you find Divine Order and Divine Timing with perfect ease and grace Janet.
Janet, I’m just loving that quilt, great job. Oh and don’t talk about taking it easy… my biggest downfall. I think I will take the recommendation of practicing gratitude, perhaps that will slow me down. Thanks for a great post