It’s easy to be grateful when we get things that we want. If someone gives us a beautiful gift or cooks us a delicious meal, it’s natural to smile and to thank them and to feel real gratitude. But what about when the things we get aren’t what we asked for, or even something we actively dread? Can we find the strength to be grateful for things we get that we never asked for?

Whoever first invented spring cleaning must have been really tired of winter. We don’t get much winter weather here in Southern California. But once the days get longer and brighter, I start thinking about how I can improve my space. Although I live pretty simply now, it took me a long time to figure out how to keep only the few things that bring me joy. 

Solitude is almost a foreign concept today. We’re connected to other people 24 hours a day. Most people sleep with smartphones inches from our head. We stare at computer monitors for hours at a time at work and call watching television while checking social media “unwinding.” We’ve completely lost the ability to be alone.  

(Grace’s Note: This post deals with topics that some of you may find stressful, such as dieting, exercising and weight loss. If these are difficult things for you to read about, you may want to skip over this one.)