I do admit I miss the jolt.

It was like zero to sixty in just a few sips.

I could always count on my morning indulgence of caffeine to quickly get me into an elevated state. Something would shift in me, turning me from sedan to sports car with the greatest of ease.

My relationship with moderation can be, at times, challenging, with indulgences quite capable of morphing into over indulgences. Caffeine was no exception, which is the main reason why I go to great lengths to now avoid it.

I give caffeine a great deal of credit in its ability to awaken a daily dormant version of me, changing my subdued inner perspective to one of enthusiasm and possibility. But I would now need to find a different source of fuel to ignite me in the morning.

My new beverage of choice is gratitude.

Sometimes I forget about gratitude. In my ever busy world surrounded by an abundance of blessings I can be quite good at taking them for granted. Yet when I am intentional with my gratitude, when I take the time to deeply reflect upon all of those blessings I call my own, gratitude serves as a powerful inner fuel source igniting the same level of enthusiasm and possibility I would often only find in a cup of iced tea each morning. Or, in my case, several cups of iced tea each morning.

Most of the meandering spiritual journey of my life was spend looking outside of me for what in time I learned could only be found within me. This journey, now shifted inward, has found far more peace and stability in learning to not rely upon external sources of stimuli. And as much as caffeine was a quick and efficient method of jumpstarting my mindset, I don’t want to be dependent upon things outside of me to take care of the inside of me.

I like me better when I am the source of filling myself with enthusiasm and possibility. 

Gratitude is always available to me. Because I always have something to be grateful for. 

My challenge has been to consistently prioritize gratitude as an intentional daily practice.

When I remember to be grateful, gratitude is all the caffeine I need.

Photo by Bank Phrom on Unsplash

Leave a comment