Why is it important for you to start thinking daily about what you’re grateful for? Think about all the “things” you have; can you think of one person who would trade you in an instant for what you “have”. When was the last time you thought, “I’m grateful for my life, my spouse, my kids, my job.”
Bringing your attention to what you are grateful for takes you out of the bubble we sometimes get comfortable living in. If we can be thankful for those people and things closest to us, can that begin to resonate outside of our inner circle?
Starting a Gratitude Practice, takes just that, practice. It has to become a habit just like anything else in your life that you do automatically.
When I started my Gratitude Practice, I wrote down first thing in the morning in a notebook that is next to my bed, two things that I’m grateful for. After some time doing this, I noticed that the two words I wrote down would come up for me during the day. I would start to be reminded what I had written down that morning, and it caused me to take a step back, take a moment and feel that sense of gratitude.
Here are 4 ways to start a Gratitude Practice today and why.
Write down two words first thing in the morning. Put a notebook next to your bed and first thing in the morning think about what you are grateful for. If you like to journal, great, if not, simply write down two words that come to mind when you think about what you’re grateful for. Breath, life, job, house, health – are some of my examples that I’ve written down this past year.
Learn to receive compliments graciously. Instead of brushing off a compliment you receive, look at the person and honestly say “Thank you.” It’s a wonderful exchange between two people whether it is from a co-worker or a loved one.
When something bad happens, try to find gratitude. Ask yourself what can you learn from a bad situation and see if you can find a couple things that you’re grateful for. It may seem difficult when things don’t go as planned, but feeling a sense of gratitude can help keep you emotionally balanced when things don’t work out.
Having a sense of gratitude – makes you realize you are more than all of “this”. This practice helps you become aware that what you have, your health, house, job, or car – is something to be grateful for. But at the same time, what we “have” can change in a heartbeat. Feeling a sense of gratitude takes us out of our own sense of ego and we realize we are more than the material things in our life.
If we can achieve being grateful for our life and who we are, then when things happen that challenge us we can still live in that space of gratitude.
I encourage you to start a Gratitude Practice and see how implementing this habit can change how you look at your life and those around you.
We can all use a little more grace in our lives and this is a great way to start feeling more grateful.
With Gratitude,
Comments