For the last 13 days of October, I dressed up in 12 costumes with things I already owned and not only was it fun, but it was a lesson about gratitude. I was aiming to do 13 DIY costumes with things I own, but I ended up skipping a day. However, a win is a win. I made up this challenge for myself because it was a fun way to be creative. But it also excited my rebellious spirit and highlighted something very beautiful that I am excited to share with you all. On all these holidays, companies, influencers and everyone is selling something to us. It is so easy to buy into the notion that you must purchase things to participate in the celebrations. And you must purchase a lot. It adds a lot of pressure on people and makes many forfeit the holidays altogether. But the truth is, so much of what we have is already enough and my costume challenge proved it. I’ll admit I have always been a DIY costume girly because I can’t justify paying a lot for something that is only used once. This year I took it to another level and further proved that abundance lives within me. And it lives within you, too.
I am not trying to preach all positivity. But as the days get shorter, it is critical that we keep a balanced perspective on ourselves and our lives. The holiday season is challenging for a lot of people because to sell to us, what we “lack” is highlighted at every turn. You could even say that gratitude is the enemy of a lot these companies. How could they sell to us if we were walking in gratitude? How much would you buy if you were truly aware and grateful for what you own?
There is so much profit in us feeling like we don’t have enough within us or around us. So, this month is all about recognizing the riches we already possess.
The notion that what we have is enough is nothing new. But it is one thing I feel we must hold close to us these days. With social media, we are constantly being sold to while we scroll and stream. Companies are sponsoring podcasters, YouTubers, bloggers, influencers and those prioritized in our algorithms. Our feeds are full of coaches, gurus and self-claimed experts trying to sell us an image, lifestyle, ANYTHING that makes us keep engaging with them and filling their pockets. Enough exposure of it can convince you that you need a lot more than you can even use. One in four people in a survey admitted that they have clutter in their home. That number only reflects those who have admitted it. Buying into all this truly is cluttering our homes, our minds and the beliefs we have about ourselves.
Even if you are the biggest cynic, spending some time with these prompts will make you see your wins. In the spirit of abundance (and my gratitude for those that write with me), I am sharing more than the classic four journal prompts this time.
What are three things you love that money can’t buy?
How are you making your space comfortable?
Why are people lucky to have you in their lives?
What makes you feel like a winner?
Start writing down your victories from this year (and life in general)
If you were another person, what about you would you still like to be the same?
You will always hear me say that I am excited about the episodes and prompts I am sharing with y’all because it’s the truth. I don’t just pick topics out of a hat or at random. I hope you all can feel the intention I put behind everything I do with Verbal Tea. This month, we are welcoming a new guest to Verbal Tea and I know you all will love her. When it comes to the power of embracing yourself and finding the winner within you, she is a master of it and has taught me so much just by how she moves.
I am full of gratitude for each of you reading this and all the tealights. Each of you who have read the blog, listened to the podcast and interacted with us do something special for my soul. You all keep me motivated to continue carrying out this platform and giving what I can. There are several of you who I have never met but you tune in and tell your friends about it and I can tell. I have so much love for you, too. I am grateful for everyone writing with me, cheering me on and even those being inspired by the show. The more of us that spend intentional time with our thoughts, the better we can be to ourselves and one another.
Please leave a review or a kind word in the form below. And the next time you tune into Verbal Tea, leave a rating or review <3
My most important is ask is for you to spend intentional time with your thoughts and focus on thriving instead of just surviving.
By the way, here is the article with some interesting information on clutter: https://www.bookcleango.com/blog/home-organizing-statistics#:~:text=According to recent surveys%2C 25,that live in the home.