Too Busy
We all live such busy lives. In the go-go-go of the week, we often sacrifice our own mental health and physical wellbeing. It doesn’t need to be that way.
What if I told you there was a simple way that you could improve your mood ,and possibly your life, in as little as 5 minutes a day? The practice of gratitude has been shown to increase our resiliency, health, reduce anxiety and depression, promote forgiveness, sleep better, to name a few. The beauty of gratitude is that it’s a practice that is easy to start and does not take much time.
The amount of time you devote to the gratitude practice is totally up to you. You just need enough time to focus on the good that is in your life and around you. This can create a sense of wellbeing even in the midst of a negative day.
Awareness
Practicing gratitude is about becoming more aware of the world around you and your life experience. As you start your practice, give yourself a moment and let your mind settle on your day, the good and the bad. Is there a positive lesson you can pull from a negative experience that day? What are you thankful for today? Maybe the neighbors dog did not wake you up barking this morning. Recieving a parking ticket sucks, but the fact that you weren’t towed is a possible moment to be grateful.
Write it Down
Grab a piece of paper, a cool journal, or the memo app on your phone, and write down something good that has happened or that you are thankful for. This can even be something that we take for granted, like a good night’s sleep or a out of the ordinary like you received a free cup of coffee.
Give yourself a goal. Start out small, maybe 2 things that you are grateful for.
Feeling stumped? Here are a few writing prompts to help:
- Something good today was….
- Something good this week was….
- I am grateful for my pet because….
- I am grateful for my family because…
- I am grateful for overcoming….
- One of my 5 senses that I am thankful for is….
- I am thankful for laughing at….
- I appreciate that I can….
One Step Further
As you become more accustomed to writing, or dictating, your gratitude; take it further by notating the full experience.
What happened that you are grateful for?
Recount the whole experience, the emotions that you felt while it was happening, the emotions that you feel about it now. Why you are grateful for it?
Mail it Out
While you are examining the blessings in your life, is there someone that you are thankful for?
Take some time and write a letter. Thank the recipient for something they have done for you, even if it was long ago, even if you have already thanked them. Possibly this person means more to you than a mere thank you, let them know.
Sharing the positivity and gratefulness is sure to brighten their day. Writing about a positive experience is sure to brighten your own.
Walk of Gratitude
I personally love this one. How great, you can improve your mood two-fold. Walking will release endorphins, improving your mood, and meditating on the positive will do much of the same.
As you walk, take in the world around you. Bring your awareness to your own body, how it functions, how it is interacting with the world around it. From there you might give thanks for the air you’re breathing, your lungs that are working, your legs or device that allows you to be out in nature at that moment, or maybe you are grateful for the nature around you.
Fitting It All In
Even in our busy lives it is possible to find 5 or 10 minutes to devote to a gratitude practice. Those minutes could be as you are waiting for your kids to get out of school. It could be the 5 minutes after they have been put to bed. Another suggestion, instead of watching tv or reading in bed; for 5 minutes reflect on the good things in your day.
Reflecting on, and being grateful for the things we have offers a wealth of benefits for our health and mental wellbeing. The wonderful part of this type of wellness practice is that you need mere minutes to devote to it. 5 minutes can be enough time to change your attitude, strengthen your mind, spirit, and cultivate better health.
I believe, you are worth living a healthier, happier life.
Have you tried a gratitude practice in the past? Were there any exercises that you found to be particularly helpful?
