Practicing Gratitude

The practice of gratitude can be incredibly powerful and life-altering. November is a great time to commit to giving thanks on a regular basis. Don’t wait for Turkey Day, start today and continue long after your feast has been digested.

We may think that we are generally grateful people but turning gratitude into a methodical and deliberate practice can help change the way that you view the world and how you feel about your life. It’ a whole lot more effective than many things that we commonly turn to ease our stress.
I recommend formalizing the practice by keeping a daily gratitude journal and listing at least ten things you are grateful for every day. The more you can list and the more frequently you practice, the more powerful the results.

Some days may be more difficult than others to write a list. When we are having one of those days where everything is going wrong, it can be particularly challenging. It can also be hard when we are in the middle a serious crisis.  On those days, double up and list twenty things, instead of ten,  that you are grateful for. What’s important is that we train our minds to look for things to be thankful for every day, no matter what the chaos du jour is.  If you’re stuck, walk over to your nearest faucet and admire the way the water flows freely and cleanly. It’s a privilege not everyone in the world shares. Or, check out those two legs that are healthy enough to hold your body weight and walk. Add standing upright to your list.

No matter how mechanical it may feel, or how reluctantly you may approach it both the purpose and the result of this practice is a retraining of the mind to look for the good in every situation. What starts out as you forcing yourself to come up with items for the list, will eventually evolve into the mind on its own naturally seeing the positive.

Since our experience is 100% linked to our perspective, when you change your perspective, you become a happier person.