“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate" -Oprah Winfrey
Gratitude is a game changer….
Let me say that one more time, gratitude is a GAME CHANGER.
Let's rewind a hot second and hit the basics, ready? Stick with me...
What is gratitude? Being grateful means giving thanks for those things big and small that cause a smile, fill you up, things that bring you joy and that you appreciate. The practice of gratitude is taking stock of all of those things. It’s learning to view those sometimes big moments, oftentimes tiny happenings, even inconveniences and maybe even challenges - in a positive light.
Let me explain…
Ever running late and convinced you can make up time enroute? {Ahem, guilty over here} Then it just so happens that you hit Every. Single. Red light AND to add to your tardiness a car pulls out in front of you. The audacity! But wait, what if, and this is an extreme example, but what if all of those seemingly mundane, yet mightly annoying, inconveniences are what kept you from missing the person running a red light up ahead and, perhaps, saved your life. That my friends, is a mindset of gratitude. Looking at every aspect of your life through the lenses of good.
It's a constant work in progress and definitely not something that comes easy to us in our fast-paced, email laden, social media bound, 24hr news cycle world, but one that I believe can massively transform your life and your happiness.
So how do we get there you ask!? Here are some things that I have started to incorporate into my day to help, maybe just maybe, they’ll help you too.
01 Start as you mean to go on
You have to do what works for you, but I believe something shifts when I begin my day before my household wakes up. It gives me those few quiet moments to slowly wake up and prepare myself for the day ahead. I sip my coffee, journal and pray and all of those things allow me to feel in control of my day. It allows me to remind myself to look for the good in the day ahead. When we’re looking for it we will see it, in our fast paced world some of those little moments can easily be missed if we aren’t aware and expectant.
02 Speak it out
Make a habit of paying compliments to others and saying thank you. I was personally challenged by this one last year. One of the 24 Days of Christmas Kindness Calendar acts of kindness ideas was to pay a compliment to a stranger and I found it so tough. The more we make a conscious effort to do this the more naturally this will come. Also making a habit to share the gratitude with others and simply thank them. The art of a handwritten letter isn’t dead, send a thank you card in the mail letting them know how much something meant to you or pick up the phone and tell them so. Whichever way you choose, it means more than you may even realise to let someone know how they've touched your life. Try it.
03 Seek out the good in the challenges
This is a tough one, no doubt about that. We weren’t promised a life without trials and challenges so they’ll be there and every single one of us will face them in our own way. However, a state of gratitude will allow you to seek out those nuggets of good even in the hard situations. It’s not denying or being naive to what is happening, but it’s choosing joy in spite of it. It’s learning to sit with the hard and acknowledge it for all that it is, but also appreciating even the slightest moments of joy at the same time. Maybe you’re feeling beat up and tired and then a friend rings to refresh your soul. Perhaps it’s the most spectacular sunset as a terribly hard day comes to a close. To others it might be the very hard season of grief from someone's passing that reminds you that you still have breath in your lungs and a beating heart. Your gratitude comes from the privilege of merely waking up to another day of life.
04 Pause and reflect
I believe there is power in the act of making a conscious effort to think about the things that we’re grateful for and then write them down. In fact, experts agree... The Huffington Post says that writing can help your memory and allows you to process things on a deeper level. I’ve committed to writing down 4 things everyday that I’m grateful for and I would love to challenge you to do the same. It takes very little time, yet can be a very powerful tool to help keep us in a state of gratitude. Knowing that we’ve committed to writing down 4 things will also keep you seeking those good spots of your day. As the saying goes, the more you seek - the more you see. I have to agree!
05 Exercise the muscle
Like anything we start, it takes practice. It takes a day by day commitment of exercising that muscle to make it stronger. We aren’t naturally positioned to view life in this way, but we can get there and can transform the way we live.
I truly believe that living in a state of gratitude can eliminate comparison, change perspective and add greater happiness and joy. Why not try it for a week, let a week become two, then a month. I’d bet my morning cup of coffee (friends, that’s a big wager) that after a month you will be happy you did and you’ll continue for a little longer.
Can’t wait to hear how this helps you and cheering you on always,
Did you know that the Motherhood Affirmation cards have a gratitude section on the back?
Not only will this be a good way to start practicing gratitude, it’s also a keepsake. A little reminder to yourself that even in the depths of sleepless nights, round the clock feeds and feelings of inadequacy - you still had so much to be thankful for.
This also makes a beautiful and meaningful gift for new mamas, mamas-to-be or just a mother who could use a little extra “you’ve got this” and friends, couldn’t we all!?
