Hi friends! I read a good article recently on gratitude and I wanted to share it with you. The article comes from the magazine Mindful which is chalk full of great information on the connection between a healthy mind and a healthy life.
When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I started writing in a gratitude journal everyday to help myself focus on the blessings in my life and not the negativity of cancer. I feel there is a connection between a positive, grateful mind and healing. It was amazing how much the gratitude journal helped me refocus on the beauty all around me, and this practice of journaling gave me inner peace. Now almost ten years out from my diagnosis, it can be challenging for me to remember to continue this practice when life is so busy. Sometimes I feel like I’m just trying to get through the day–maybe some of you can relate?!
However, even in our hectic lives, this article is a great reminder of the power of gratitude!
The article Thanks For This discusses what it means to be grateful. Thankfully, it doesn’t mean convincing yourself that everything is perfect in your life. We all have things that we are going through.
“Living your life with gratitude means choosing to focus your time and attention on what you appreciate. The goal is not to block out difficulties, but to approach those difficulties from a different perspective. Appreciation softens us. It soothes our turbulent minds by connecting us with the wonderfully ordinary things, great and small, that we might otherwise take for granted.”
So how do you start feeling gratitude if you are in a really low place? Is it even possible? Good news is that YES it is possible! With practice, gratitude will increase your overall happiness which will have a profound impact on your life.
Here are some tips that you can start with:
- Say “thank you!” Offering our appreciation for even small things is a simple way to start changing our mindset. “As we cultivate greater appreciation for what is around us, we can include being thankful for what’s inside of us.”
- When you’re feeling low, take a moment and write down some things that spark gratitude in you. It can be as simple as watching the sun rise, listening to music that you enjoy, a delicious meal, a shared moment of laughter with a friend.
- Describe in as much detail as possible how your body feels when you express gratitude. I noticed after I would write in my gratitude journal that I immediately felt more peaceful. It’s amazing how something so simple has such a powerful impact on our mindset.
When we begin to turn more frequently toward the things that we appreciate, the world increasingly opens up to reveal that there is always some small thing for which we can be grateful.
I hope this information is helpful, and that we can all find gratitude in our life!
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