In this chaos called life, it is easy for me to overlook the small moments. The small things that bring me joy and make my day a little better. Recognizing these moments and being grateful for them make me see my life in a better light. Here are some ways I practice gratitude daily, I don’t do everything at once, I just try my best to practice at least one of these.
1. Start a Gratitude Journal
I keep a small notebook of all the things that I am grateful for. From time to time I write down moments or things I are grateful for in my notes app, then transfer to my notebook when I get home. Even if it seems small, so far it made my day better, it is worthy of the notebook. Having this notebook helps when I am feeling down to boost my mood a little. It makes me see that its not all bad.
2. Express Thanks to Others
Expressing gratitude to people is very important, it could make their day better even. Thank them for the little things and they will be willing to help you the next time you need something. It could be a ‘thank you’ text after a hang out or a thank you said after a small gesture, let them know they are appreciated and their actions are valued. When I appreciate people, the smile on their face makes me feel good.
3. Practice Mindfulness
I practice mindfulness by being aware of my surroundings, being aware of the beautiful colours and the atmosphere. I am grateful to be experiencing it, I am grateful that I had the strength to come outside to see it. Sometimes I just like to sit quietly and observer the things around me and I am grateful to be a part of it. While doing this I like to think on things that happened to me through my life that got me to that present moment and be grateful for those moments.
4. Add it to morning routine
In the mornings (not everyday though), I like to list three things I am grateful for. I hold on to these three things while engaging in the rest of my morning routine. This helps me start my day on a good note and helps with any bumps that try to disrupt my day.
5. Use Gratitude Prompts
When I find it hard to think of things I am grateful for, I use gratitude prompts to guide my thoughts. Questions like “What made me smile recently?” or “Who has helped me recently?” help me identify and appreciate the positive aspects of my life. These prompts can be a great way to kickstart your gratitude practice, especially on difficult days.
Conclusion
Trying to practice gratitude daily doesn’t have to be a serious chore or be complicated, just look around and just find one thing you are grateful for because it could be worse. There has to be at least one thing in your life you are grateful for, hold on to that and build on it. By incorporating this into your life, your mental strength and resilience will be increased.