Gratitude is not just for the holidays
Gratitude is a great word and it’s not just some yogi/hippie word used to spread love. It’s a necessity in this day and age and the more we get the idea of gratitude out into the world, the better off we will all be.
Gratitude is something that can and should be practiced every single day. Not only is it a way to take your focus off the negative, but also it’s a way to shift your perspective and just simply feel good inside. By keeping gratitude close to your heart and in your daily routine, you will begin to realize just how MUCH good is around you vs the “bad.” It just simply repositions your outlook, you know what I mean?
Gratitude is something that Americans have grown accustomed to sharing on Thanksgiving every year. Even though on Thanksgiving everyone says that they will continue the tradition of sharing gratitude throughout the year, it typically lasts through the end of the year holidays and then the “New Year/ New Goals” kicks in and gratitude is left off to the side.
Here are five ways that you can keep gratitude in the forefront of your mind every day.
Smile when you open your eyes first thing in the morning
Why smile you ask? Because YOU ARE ALIVE. You are alive enough to see another blue sky with magical clouds, to savor the smell of coffee or tea, to touch another soft blanket, to hear another beautiful song, or to taste another delicious chocolate (or fruit, whatever!)
What better way to wake up than to open your eyes and smile with gratitude for any or all of the senses that you own. You know what I mean?
Look someone in the eyes when you say thank you
Saying “Thanks or Thank You” has really become a force of habit. All of its essences have dissolved in the industrious world we live in. We work hard, move quickly, and keep our eye on the prize. Who has time for a real heartfelt thank you? Well, YOU should. Do you remember the last time you said thank you to the bus driver that got you to your destination safely and on time? I do. It was the other day and he smiled back at me with a quick sense of surprise and then a warm sentiment.
You may say thank you a gazillion times to your food delivery driver, as you quickly hand the money over while salivating at the thought of your first bite of food that will soon be making your taste buds explode and your belly happy and full. But did you look at this person in the eyes and thank them for driving over your dinner while it was cold and pouring rain outside and you were enjoying your pajamas and a warm home? You get it. Just take a minute, a breath, and look someone in the eyes and say “Hey, thanks so much. I appreciate your help today and the job you do.” Then enjoy the warm fuzzy feeling you get inside when they smile back at you, grateful for your words. Double Whammy!
Call, Email, or Send a Message to someone you are grateful for
Making a quick call is always the best but if that is not your jam, it’s cool, get in touch another way. Tell this person how thankful you are for whatever it is they have helped you through, or taught you, or simply that you are thankful for the relationship you have together with them. Without human contact, humans can’t survive. So whether you have one person you know or a thousand, be grateful that together you are keeping each other alive. Pretty cool right?
Write. It. Down.
Write down how grateful you are, even if it is just one thing, every night before you go to bed. You’ve heard of this technique plenty of times! And if you are not keen on journaling, then chances are slim that you will do this. But, it’s not about the journal! Write it down on a piece of paper, a post-it, on the back of a receipt it doesn’t matter! The chances that you are only going to write down ONE thing is slim to none. You will find many things to be grateful for and it will surprise you. Then you will feel warm and fuzzy inside, yet again, while you drift off into the best sleep of your life. 🙂
Talk with people born before 1950
Have you recently talked to parents, grandparents, or simply a person that has lived quite a long time compared to you? Hearing their stories instantly shifts your paradigm and leaves you nowhere else than a place of gratitude for what you are currently experiencing in your life. (For the most part)
My mother was born in 1949 near Kalamata Greece. Electricity hadn’t come to her village yet when she was in school and she did her homework using a kerosene lamp. There were also days where they didn’t have bread left to eat for breakfast so they had to pick wild berries on their hike to school. They also had to stuff quilts with old worn-out clothes to keep them warm at night. Whaaaaat? Yes. Thank goodness for Target Stores right? Or Jumbo if you live in Greece. Ha!
Or what about a friends grandfather that took a three-month boat from Greece to South Africa only to wait there for 6 months so he could take another boat to Australia that probably took another 6 months to get there.
Talk to these people. Hear their stories. Some may be sad, some happy, and some powerful. It’s a good way to be thankful for the comforts of your life today.
Another great thing you can do is to start creating joyful habits in your daily life. I wrote a post about this! Read it…