Smelling Roses In Winter

"Life is what's happening when you're too busy to notice." -Wayne Muller

Recently I was teaching a raw food class where I passed herbs and spices around to participants. We took the time to drink in their scent, pausing to savor the intoxicating musk of cumin, or the zesty lightness of lemon rind, and the pungent fragrance of coriander...

A simple act that I try to incorporate in all of my classes, but what soundly struck me as we savored these smells was that I had been forgetting to experience this practice in my own daily life! Since that moment I have taken more time to appreciate the abundance of scents that surround me, as well as making an effort to appreciate the other senses as well.

When I work with clients, one area we focus on is enhancing one’s resources in order to create a richer, more fulfilling life. Developing a regular practice of gratitude is the cornerstone of being able to appreciate the gifts life has to offer. In fact, the Roman philosopher Cicero called gratitude, “The mother of all virtues.”

This mindset is a practice that takes work - often it is easier to slip into noticing what you don’t have instead of what is available to you. But shifting that lense can provide profound and lasting effects. There is a reason we learn the saying “Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses” after all!

Certainly it can be difficult to remain grateful when bills need to be paid and you don’t have enough money to pay them, or you are not feeling well, etc. But you can be miserable or you can be inspired through the experience - the choice is yours.

I am so grateful to be reminded of the abundance of life’s pleasures — the way the craggy tree top looks against a dusky purple sky, how the air smells so particular just before it snows, the soft feel of fur and the rumble of purring as I caress my cat, or the look of warm appreciation when a kind word is shared with a stranger. Life is absolutely, truly amazing!

©laynewhitley, 2010. Article may be reprinted with permission.

Layne Whitley, Food & Weight Loss Coach, helps clients lose weight, eat healthier, and feel great… naturally! To get your FREE e-book on lasting weight loss and receive her weekly recipes & success mindset articles on reaching your wellness potential, visit www.laynewhitley.com or email her at coach@laynewhitley.com.