Cultivating Gratitude in Your Daily Life
“ When times are rough, and gratitude may feel out of reach, I will make the conscious effort to breathe it in, wrap my arms around it, and hold it close.
I deserve that much. ”
Thank You.
These are two simple words that are often said out of habit and with barely a second thought but truly deserve ample reflection and perspective. It’s an important lesson we learn as children for a reason.
When was the last time you said thank you to someone and truly meant it? Sometimes gratitude needs to be expressed on a deeper and more emotional level to intimately connect with yourself and the world + people around you.
We carry gratitude in our core but rarely spend enough time with, daily. In an effort to improve the relationships we have with gratefulness, I am listing five ways to cultivate more gratitude in everyday life.
Be more present - Live in the moment and stop giving the past and future more energy than it deserves. Spend more time in nature, visit an old friend, dance more, revisit an oldie but goodie, internalize your feelings, talk to/check-in with yourself.
Tend to your inner child - You ever notice how the smallest of life’s treasures makes a world of difference to children? They experience life through different lenses. Play, laugh, engage in sensory activities, use your imagination.
Be supportive - Show others your gratitude by listening more, compromising more, offering to help (not limited to monetarily), and just being there. The most valuable thing a person can share with you is their time. Nothing says “I choose you” more than presence.
Write it out - Dedicate time to list three (or more) things about the day you are most thankful for. Not only are you taking time to show appreciation, but you are manifesting more of that joy in your life.
Note love languages -Being mindful of a love language isn’t only beneficial to learning how to love and showing gratitude; knowing how you want to be loved and providing it for yourself is a different level of intimacy.
Give thanks. Be blessed. Be gracious.