Gratitude

Day 21

"We are who we practice to be. So if you practice gratitude, you'll be grateful." Joe Dispenza

I've kept a gratitude journal off and on for many years. I have not been consistent with one for many months now, but the practice really helped me find stability throughout 2020. I had a disciplined practice of meditating each morning, even just for 5 minutes. I'd then follow that with writing in my "Mindset Journal." The first thing I wrote would be one line about how I felt that morning, and then I'd follow up with about 5 things I was grateful for, along with a list of goals for the day that included doing something that would bring me joy.

I fell off in this practice when my schedule started to change, but I'd like to ease back into it this year as it was truly transformational. Although each part of the entry was slightly different, making it the first thing that I did every morning reminded me of the little things that would get me through the day. It reminded me of the simple things that brought me joy. It reminded me to be grateful for walks outside, to cuddles with my cat, to my morning coffee routine. I realized that I didn't need a huge event to occur each day to find joy. Sometimes I simply looked forward to the sun being out and having nice weather for a 30 minute walk.

Spending time to sit in gratitude is a method of realignment. Your perspective shifts. You begin to realize what truly matters for you and you look forward to creating or cultivating more of that in your life. Even if you do not have time for a list each morning or night, simply saying "Thank You" as you wake up or go to bed each night can shift your mind and your attitude. We should find time to be grateful as often as possible, but it's even more healing and beneficial when life is hard. When we are more grateful, we shine. We give more of ourselves to others but we also feed our own spirits. There is nothing too small to be thankful for, and when we recognize that, we see how much life has in favor for us.

"For my part, I am almost contented just now, and very thankful. Gratitude is a divine emotion: it fills the heart, but not to bursting; it warms it, but not to fever." Charlotte Bronte