Daily Gratitude Practices You’ll Love.
Practicing gratitude can be a powerful way to increase your overall happiness, well-being, and to shift your mindset. It’s helped me balance living a life I love now whilst still hitting some audacious financial goals (such as paying off the mortgage early by age 34). I've noticed that when you shift your focus to gratitude, the endless craving for more seems to also fade away.
Ready to bring some gratitude to your daily life? Here are 10 ideas to get you started……….
1. Gratitude Journal: Spend a few minutes each day writing down things you’re thankful for (hey if it’s good enough for Oprah, it’s good enough for me!). This doesn’t need to be anything fancy - it can be as simple as a good cuppa or a kind gesture from a friend.
2. Morning or Evening Reflection: Start or end your day by reflecting on what you're grateful for. This can help set a positive tone for the day or be a healthier ‘nightcap’ to your evening.
3. Gratitude Jar: Keep a jar and some slips of paper handy. Whenever you feel thankful for something, write it down and put it in the jar. If you are ever feeling down, tip out the jar and go through what you were thankful for as a little pick me up.
4. Express Thanks: Make it a habit to express your appreciation to others. A beautiful hand written thank-you note, a txt message, or a simple "thank you" in person, these small gestures can spark joy in others. Sharing your thanks creates a magical ripple effect, encouraging others to join the gratitude party!
5. Gratitude Reminders: Set reminders on your phone or use beautiful cards in visible places with prompts like “What am I grateful for today?” to keep the practice top of mind.
6. Mindfulness and Meditation: Inject some gratitude into your mindfulness routine. Search for gratitude meditation on YouTube for a for inspo on how to get started.
7. Gratitude Walk: Take a mindful walk (and leave that phone at home) by noticing and appreciating the small details around you—nature, the color of the sky or the smell of the air.
8. Gratefulness in Challenges: When life throws you a curveball (and they can be curvy alright!), try to find a silver lining or a lesson learned. This can help shift your perspective and find positive aspects even in tough situations.
9. Share it: Start mealtimes with a moment of gratitude by having everyone spill the beans on what they are grateful for.
10. Flip it: Next time you catch yourself complaining, flip it into a gratitude moment!. Example: I may catch myself complaining about all the dog hair that is on my clothes and car. I will then switch this thought to how grateful I am to see my dog’s excited face whenever I come home and the unconditional love that he gives me.
Integrating these practices into your routine can help make gratitude a more natural and ingrained part of your daily life.
