connection – Ruthann M. Wilson

Gratitude: A 30‑Day Practice to Begin and End Each Day with Thanks

Gratitude is a simple yet profound practice that can shift how we experience life. By beginning and ending each day with thanks, we invite peace, contentment, and a deeper awareness of the blessings already present.

Being grateful is a simple practice that can have a profound effect on your life. Everyone has something to be grateful for – food, shelter, clothing, family, friends, health, career, financial abundance, transportation, new beginnings, new opportunities, life lessons – just to name a few. When we focus on what we have and feel a deep sense of gratitude for it, we are able to shift into a state of peace and contentment even if life is not exactly as we wish it to be.

For the next 30 days, I invite you into a gentle rhythm of gratitude, twofold in its simplicity:

Begin and end each day with gratitude. You may be thinking that you are too busy and not able to add anything else to your schedule. I hear you! It doesn’t have to take a lot of time. As an example, in the morning, I simply give thanks for the gift of a new day as soon as I open my eyes. In the evening, I review the day and express gratitude for whatever I consider to be gifts, blessings, or life lessons. I enjoy writing things down as it gives me an opportunity to review what I have captured over time. Create a daily practice that works for you and your lifestyle.

Express gratitude to others. Make a point to call, send an email, send a text, write a handwritten note to someone each day expressing gratitude.

If you miss a day, it’s okay! Work toward creating a consistent practice over the next 30 days and beyond.

Gratitude is a daily choice to notice, honor, and give thanks for the gifts of life.

Thank you for pausing here. If something in these words offered insight or stirred a shift, I would be honored to hear what stayed with you.

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With gratitude,
Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

Giving Thanks: Gratitude Practices for Thanksgiving and Everyday Life

Thanksgiving is a beautiful reminder of gratitude, yet the practice of giving thanks extends far beyond one day. Whether for friends, family, health, or life lessons, gratitude connects us to joy and abundance every day. Thank you for being part of my journey and allowing me to be part of yours.

Gratitude Practices to Try

Daily Gratitude Journal: Write down 3–5 blessings, lessons, or gifts each day to cultivate appreciation.
Gratitude Rituals: Begin and end your day with a moment of thanks for people, experiences, or simple joys.
Express Thanks to Others: Share a note, call, or message to let someone know how much they mean to you.
Gratitude Walk: Take a mindful walk outdoors, noticing and naming things you’re grateful for in your surroundings.

Peace and abundant blessings,

Ruthann

In-Progress, LLC | Walk your path with intention, at your own pace

The Journey to Authenticity: My Journal Reflections

JOURNAL ENTRY: I realized over the break that I am living a double life.

I have kept a journal most of my life. I have found it to be an invaluable tool for recording my dreams, clarifying my thoughts, and processing my feelings. It has also helped me to see how much I have grown over time.

As a part of the writing process for Be True to You, I reviewed some of my older journals. I was looking for themes in terms of what I was journaling about as well as statements that were related to breakthroughs and turning points. One of the statements that I found during the process inspired this post. I made a note in my journal that I felt like I was living a double life. I was driven by a need to be accepted and, in the process, not openly sharing the part of me that loves to explore a variety of topics and finds inspiration in many things.

At the time of my journal entry, I was exploring spirituality through a different lens (e.g., the Divine Feminine, symbolic systems, etc.). My interest in the topics was real, however, I wasn’t comfortable sharing what I was exploring because the topic was outside of “normal” conversations within my circle of friends and family. I did not want to be seen as “eccentric” or a “new ager”. In reality, I was judging myself and assuming what others might think about me. I noted in my journal that I was out of integrity by not sharing that part of me. I made a decision to stand in my truth and start sharing my interests with others; not only for my personal integrity, but as a way for them to get to know me at a deeper level.

For the most part, it seems the more authentic I am with others, the more authentic they are with me. Being authentic and vulnerable opens the door for deeper and more meaningful relationships.

Is there a part of you that you are hiding/not sharing with friends and family because you are afraid of disapproval, rejection, or judgment? How might you begin to bring that part of you forward?

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All the best,

Ruthann