Gratitude is a powerful tool. And although many people are championing it in certain spaces, I believe itis still strongly undervalued. To get the biggest bang for your buck in “gratitude”, it is required to be integrated into your life beyond the shallow concept of being grateful and to an intentional practice of gratitude. I think the intention is what many of us miss, which keeps us unaware of gratitude’s true power – which is reframing.
I have just begun to realize that I have organically been creating a gratitude practice through my photo outings. As I have begun to take my time in a place and look closely to see what it reveals to me, I have learned to find beauty in everyday things. Reframing my focus from trying to capture monuments or major structures, to looking at the simple everyday beauty – whether a calm sunrise, a quiet street, or transitions of seasons – helps me honor those same simple, everyday, beautiful things.
Besides trying to think of lists, and identify concrete items I am grateful for, I can physically manifest gratitude by opening myself up to all the beauty around me. And that reframing of my photography, can begin to have a profound reframing of my life, if I continue this intentional practice. Looking at my photo walks in this way gives them a new significance for me in the balance of my life.
I would say for anyone who does not necessarily have the medium of photography or photo outings, embracing the idea of honoring everyday beauty, however you can, may be your path to connecting with gratitude in a much deeper way. I would recommend it to anyone I know. Gratitude is a powerful tool. You must simply put it into practice…
Taylor Ruby's 