Quick and easy way to practice gratitude
We are bombarded on social media with images and activities that we are missing out giving us a sense of lack. This is further perpetuated by our work culture where we are constantly trying to prove ourselves and compare ourselves to others. This sense of lack gets bigger by the moment as we scroll through stories and images of other people as they travel the world or do something more amazing that our current state. We start feeling like our life is mediocre, less than and not enough.
This sense of lack seeps into our emotions resulting in a feeling of emptiness or not good enough that can significantly impact our wellbeing and daily functioning. So how do we curb this feeling? One way to do so is with gratitude. Gratitude is more than just being grateful of the things you have in your life. At the core, it is about savoring the feeling of being grateful which can have instant impact on our mood and improve our daily functioning.
A quick exercise that can be implemented as a daily habit is having a gratitude journal. There are many versions out there to do this. I’m a firm believer in simple steps so I’m proposing a simple 5 minute process that can be incorporated in our daily practice. I have done this exercise for a few years and have seen a difference in my outlook and shifted my perspective in life.
Find a journal/notebook for this exercise that is small enough to fit in your purse/backpack to carry around. You can choose the time of day when you do this exercise. It can be at the start of the day, in the morning, or at the end of the day, at night before going to bed.
Write down three good things that happened to you the day before. This does not have to be anything “grand.” It can be simply that you were able to get a parking spot in a busy lot or the nice lunch you had with a coworker or the fact that you were able to complete your task at work. Write down a brief sentence about your activity; it can even be shorthand (eg: Had a nice lunch with my friend at my favorite spot).
As you write down your sentence, allow yourself to recall the situation and recognize how you felt in that moment. This will allow you to feel grateful about that activity and help in shifting your mood. This process should not take more than five minutes. Find three different things that brought a smile to your face.
As you make this a daily habit, you will notice that your brain is naturally noticing more things that are working out in your life. When you are having a stressful day, pulling out the journal and reviewing your entries is a great way to realize that whatever you’re going through in this moment will pass and good things will continue to come your way. Try this activity for 21 days and see a shift in your mood and your approach.
If you still continue to feel anxious, feel a sense of lack or have more severe symptoms of mental health, I recommend you seek professional help. I offer therapy and coaching for clients. Please click the schedule now button below for a free consultation.
