What thoughts come to mind when you think about Christmas? Thoughts of gratitude and mindful reflection or thoughts relating to over commitment, stress and exhaustion? For many, the latter is true.

Well we have a fun experience this December that you will love and it will give you an opportunity to win one of three Gratitude Passes for our 2016 Embrace Life festivals. By tagging your images with #GOgratitude in our online event.

Take a few moments, do you remember how you felt as a child, when Christmas time drew near?

Can you remember counting down the days until Santa arrived and imagining the gifts under the tree that he had made especially for you? As adults, the child like wonderment and excitement is gradually lost to must do’s, have to’s and shoulds.

Somewhere along the way we moved out of our heart space, the place of feeling and being into the head space of thinking and doing. As adults it is very easy to be lured into the daily stressors of life. We fall into the trap of fulfilling the expectations others place on us and those we place on ourselves. It is easy to forget about the simple things in life that bring us joy and happiness. It is easy to forget the simplicity and wonder of life.

What if I told you that this year simplicity and wonder could be accessed through one tiny yet powerful practise? A practise that reminds us what is most important in life. A practise that increases our levels of empathy, heightens self esteem, improves physical health and more. A practise of gratitude. Gratitude brings us back to our heart centred place. It allows us to be mindful and celebrate the little things in life. Little things that hold the biggest rewards.

This Christmas, the Gratitude Online Team invite you to join in accessing an attitude of gratitude through the creation of a Christmas Gratitude Space. And invite you to participate in our 12 day online and interactive experience on Facebook from Sunday 13 December, as we count down the 12 days of Christmas.

We have created an 12 Days of Christmas – Online Event, which you can post your images and share your gratitude over the period leading up to Christmas Day, remember to #GOgratitude.

The Christmas Gratitude Space ( see image below as an example) can be set up before and then will house gifts that have been placed in your path to celebrate all that is wonderful in your life. It will allow you to access the childlike excitement and joy within you.

Creating a space of gratitude is a simple process that will bring Santa sleighs full of blessings.

Here’s how:

* Choose a space that is accessible to you daily and allows for quiet contemplation. It could be a favourite place by a window, a corner in your room, a table, a shelf or a space in your garden.

* Decorate the area using items that make it warm and inviting. You may like to use a favourite scarf to lay over the table, a candle to light, an inspirational quote, crystals, a favourite photo or image. Whatever brings you calm, warmth and peace.

* Now comes the good bit! Each day over a 12 day period, hold a daily intention of what you would like to bring into your life. You may want more calm, increased self love or opportunities for growth in a particular area of your life.

* Throughout the day discover what comes to you. Whatever presents itself will be a reminder in gratitude. Think treasure hunts and all things hide and seek. It may be a feather, an experience, a movie ticket, a flower, a comment someone made that touched you in some way, a memory….the sky’s the limit.

* Add your daily gift to your gratitude space.

* Spend 5-10 minutes to capture the essence of that gift, invite it into your life and express heartfelt gratitude.

* Post each daily treasure on Face Book. Share with the Gratitude Online community how your special find ignited a feeling of gratitude within you.

* Celebrate each gift and the blessings they bring with a grateful heart.

At the completion of this experience, you will have accessed insight into the wonder that surrounds you every day and in each moment. This wonder and excitement is available to you beyond childhood and in simplistic form. It is a true gift. A gift of gratitude.

Remember to join us throughout the 12 Days of Christmas on Facebook, post your gifts and blessings so we can all enjoy the Christmas Gratitude together.

Make sure you also #GOgratitude to your posts, as we will be giving away a few Gratitude Passes to our 2016 Embrace Life festivals, at the end of the experience.

And a BIG THANK YOU to our team member, Michelle from Love, Crush, Joy, Bliss who wrote and created this wonderful Gratitude experience for us all to enjoy!