Joy and Gratitude

I heard about Brené Brown from our pediatrician (who also happens to be her husband) and was fascinated by her TED Talk on vulnerability. She speaks about the importance of courage, authenticity, and the pitfalls of perfection. (Even Gwyneth is taking notes.) I'm in the middle of her newest book, Daring Greatly, and I've dog-eared more pages than not. I especially love her Wholehearted Parenting Manifesto, but I keep coming back to her thoughts on joy and gratitude...

1. Joy comes to us in moments-ordinary moments.

"We risk missing out on joy when we get too busy chasing down the extraordinary. Scarcity culture may keep us afraid of living small, ordinary lives but when you talk to people who have survived great losses it is clear that the most profound joy we experience is in those small moments that are so easy to overlook."

2. Practice gratitude for what we have.

"Don’t take what you have for granted—celebrate it. Don’t apologize for your healthy parents or your great relationship. Be grateful and share your gratitude with others."