gratitude: noun. the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Did you know gratitude is the key to happiness?
Gratitude is all about shifting your mindset from focusing on all of the things we DON’T have to being grateful for everything we DO have.
In our society, especially with social media nowadays, it’s so easy to fall victim of the comparison game. Feeling like we don’t do X enough or that we don’t have enough of Y and that mindset leads straight to feelings of pure unhappiness. Comparison is the thief of joy! It gives you the feeling that you don’t have enough or that you aren’t enough. Have you ever scrolled through Instagram and put your phone down and felt like, “wow, I am missing out on this or I need this or I wish I had that..” That is exactly what I am talking about. Even outside of being on our phones it can happen at work, in families or amongst friends. You many not even realizing it is happening to you. So say hello to Mr. Comparison, shake his hand and send him on his way. He has GOT TO GO! And once you can get rid of that mindset and feel like you DO have enough, you will then open the door to happiness!
So what can we do to practice gratitude? I have some idea’s for you.
First and foremost, realize you are enough, you have enough and make sure you surround yourself with positive people. Because negative people will bring you down and no one has time for that. So don’t be afraid to say NO for whatever reason if it means you are preserving your sanity. Jim Rohn said “You are an average of your 5 closest friends.” So take a look around you, if your closest friends are miserable, you may be too. And I know that people can have a bad day, thats not what I am talking about, it’s the people that are constantly complaining, judging others and talking bad about people that you have to be cautious with. That will BRING YOU DOWN. So try to be more aware and see how you feel when you leave a conversation with someone. Ask yourself “is this person making me feel good and inspired or are they bringing me down?” Let your emotions guide you.
Limit social media. Yep, I said it. I myself, try to go on once or twice a day but only to check or send a message or write a quick post. I have limited the amount of mindless scrolling to take up time. Instead I have found myself filling the void with healthier things like reading books, listening to podcasts and learning new things.
Be present. Put the phone down. One of my biggest pet peeves is going out to dinner or being around family and someone just sitting there on the phone. It’s so disrespectful. I have to admit, I have been guilty of this myself but I have been making a conscious effort when I am around my children, family and friends to be fully present. I have found that when I am more present, I engage more in conversation, laugh more and am able to really just enjoy the moment.
Make time for self care. Take a bath. Turn on a diffuser and fill the room with lavender. Read a book. Relax. It’s hard to sit back and feel gracious for your life when you are stressed out. So take care of you. Even if you have to be selfish one night.
Actually practice gratitude. Write down one thing each day that you are thankful for, even if it is something as simple as, I am grateful for sunshine, fresh flowers, the morning dew or that I can walk on my two legs today. Tell people you appreciate them. Sometimes we assume others know how we feel but it’s important to verbalize it and say it out loud. You’ll find that by letting others know how much you appreciate them that it can take both friendships and romantic relationships to another level. Relationships are like flowers, you have to water them to keep them alive!
Find joy in the little things. Embrace the baby snuggles. Laugh a lot. Find humor in the negative. Always kiss your partner goodnight. Make tents. Stay up late, watch movies and eat popcorn. Take a long Summer drive with the windows down and some good music blasting. Eat fresh watermelon and swim in the pool. Take a long afternoon nap with you children. Go on a family walk after dinner. Soak up all of it and don’t forget to remind yourself when you are in the moment of how precious these times really are.
Lastly, realize it’s not about the things but the moments & experiences in life and who you share them with.
So,
I challenge you to try one of these things sometime. See if it makes you feel a little more fulfilled.
For me, it’s unreal how practicing something as simple as being more grateful can make a world a difference on your happiness. It surely has for me.
