3 Ways to Practice Gratitude Every Day
How do you feel about gratitude practices? Intrigued by the idea, but unsure how to add another mindfulness practice to your daily routine? Perhaps you understand the benefits but struggle with consistency and sticking to it?
Today I’m going to break it down for you and provide gratitude practices that are doable in real life. These practices are far from elaborate, time intensive and complicated. I’ll help you to understand the power of simplicity, and help you gain an understanding of the positive impact of your mindset. I believe gratitude is the simplest, most powerful and overlooked mindfulness technique. For this reason I can’t wait to dig into the how-to’s, so you can start shifting your mindset today.
3 Simple Gratitude Practices
In a recent blog post, Deconstructing Gratitude, I dug into the science & benefits behind gratitude practices. I highly recommend giving this a read, because it’ll solidify the amazing reasons to start a gratitude practice. Today we’re going to dig into the how-tos, giving you simple recommendations for practices you can experiment with today. These take minimal time, and cost absolutely nothing, so what do you have to lose?
Incorporate Gratitude into Existing Activities:
Instead of adding another “to-do” on your list, try incorporating mindfulness practices into daily activities. For example, at dinner with your family each person could share two things they’re thankful for. It starts a positive conversation, and gets everyone talking. Or while tucking your littles into bed you can each share what you’re grateful for. Even while riding in the car, spend that time focusing on the good in your day, and this simple mindset shift will change your outlook on traffic and the world around you. Repurposing time you have is a game-changer.
Gratitude Journal Before Bed:
Science shows writing down your gratitude makes a stronger impact. Grab a journal and jot down 3-5 things you’re thankful for from the day. This can literally be anything, whatever comes to mind is great. Write it down and go into rest with this positive mindset.
Write A Hand-Written Note:
Send a handwritten note to a loved one, friend or someone you’ve been meaning to connect with. The joy of getting real mail, that isn’t a bill or obligation, is so refreshing. A simple two sentence note is guaranteed to put a smile on their face, and bring joy to their day. To add on, the art of hand written thank you notes is such an impactful one for both parties. The person writing the note has a moment of reflecting on their gratitude, and the recipient gets to see a sweet hand-written note as opposed to a typed email.
As I mentioned at the start, if you’d like to understand more about the proven benefits of gratitude, check out this top post, Deconstructing Gratitude. Once you have knowledge about the benefits, and pair this with simple action steps in your day, your whole family can start benefitting from this powerful practice. Before you head into your day, I’d encourage you to consider which simple step you’ll commit to trying this week, and share it below. I would love to provide encouragement for these positive changes in your life!