Gratitude: A Life-Changing Practice
Gratitude is a word you may hear often. It is the expression of appreciation for what we have.
Practicing gratitude retrains our brains from our negativity bias to look for the good, the positive, and what you can appreciate, even in the midst of chaos, hardship, and heaviness like this year. We can find joy and happiness in the little moments, even when we’re not in control of what’s happening around us.
Many of our old traditions, approaches and ways have and will not be possible this year. But, we now have an opportunity to decide what we want to keep and what we want to leave behind. Keeping the gratitude and appreciation is always a great idea!
Here are three of my favorite ways to practice gratitude in your everyday life:
At the end of the day, write in a gratitude journal. Studies show that writing down what we’re grateful for makes it even more powerful. Even just 3 bullet points work if that seems easier for you. Consistency is key with this practice, so try to commit to doing it every night as part of your bedtime routine. It can take as little as two minutes, and the positive effects you’ll receive are 10 fold!
Ask yourself “What went well today?” This, again, helps to retrain our brain to search for things throughout the day that went well. I like to do this as I leave work or wind down for the day.
Share your appreciation for yourself and others. Practice telling yourself and others what you appreciate about them. The more specific you can be, the better! Appreciating little things about yourself with positive self talk is a powerful act of self love and self compassion. It can help us act as we want to feel. Appreciation can feel easier than gratitude for some people, so reach for this one if it resonates with you. This is a great one to share around the dinner table!
This is a great one to share around the dinner table
Commit to one (or all three) of these practices and you will notice a positive shift in your life and in the lives of those around you, which we all know is needed now more than ever! You will be more resilient, more mindful, and more positive, and shift your life in amazing ways.
I'm grateful for each and every one of you in my community, I appreciate you and your support immensely, and am sending you extra love this week and this season.
>>> Tell me in the comments below something specific you are grateful for or appreciate about yourself or others!