November 23, 2015
In the U.S. we have the Thanksgiving holiday this week and I’ve been thinking about this “official” day for being thankful and thought I’d share with you how I incorporate gratitude into my everyday life.
The practice of listing what you are grateful for is a popular tool for understanding how much you really do have in your life. And acknowledging what you do have allows even more to come to you.
This deceptively simple, yet powerful technique can literally work wonders. Research shows that people who have a gratitude practice are happier, healthier, more content, less anxious and less self-centered.
What’s my gratitude practice?
On most mornings, as I drive to my office or to the gym, I say in my mind “Thank you for my car, thank you for the beautiful ocean, thank you for this beautiful area to live in, thank you for the patients on my schedule today, thank you for the knowledge and skills to help them, thank you for the safe commute…”, whatever comes to mind.
Then I like to end my day, as I’m falling asleep, by saying “Thank you for my comfortable bed, thank you for my warm, safe house, thank you for these clean sheets, thank you for my strong and healthy body, thank you for the hot water in my shower, thank you for the healthy food in the refrigerator, thank you for all the connections with people I had today”…and so on and so on, starting with the most obvious and moving into deeper waters. I am even grateful for challenging people and situations, as I know I’m learning and growing into a higher vibrational version of myself.
So this gratitude thing is really simple to do. Don’t over-think it. Right now, just look around you and think of 5 things you’re grateful for. For example,
- Your computer or phone which allows you to read this note from me
- The ability to read
- Good eyesight
- A roof over your head
- The breath in your body
There are 5 things right there. Pretty easy, right? Now keep going… think of 5 more. Now, how do you feel?
I encourage you to do this every day for one week. Can you start with one week? Maybe first thing in the morning before you get out of bed or before you leave the house for the day. Or maybe you’ll do it at the end of the day. Then after a week’s time, take note of any changes that this attitude of gratitude has made for you. I’d love for you to let me know.
Because gratitude. It’s not just for Thanksgiving.
Count your blessings.
I’m counting you as one of mine,
Colleen
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