How To Practice Gratitude For A Healthier Happier Life
Each one of us is in the pursuit of happiness. We aren’t on Earth just to exist. We want a full life. We want to make the most of our days. For many of us, happiness is a mercurial and elusive concept. But it's not. Boost your happiness by practicing gratitude daily.
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Studies suggest that writing in a gratitude journal three times a week might actually have a greater impact on our happiness than journaling.
Practising gratitude is something that I’ve made a personal goal of this past year. Since keeping a gratitude journal, I've noticed that it's helped me be more appreciative, more aware, and more observant. It's helped me feel more grounded and much happier.
Instead of focusing on the things that I don't have or haven't experienced, keeping a gratitude journal helps me focus on the things that I do have and experiences I've had.
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Ready to start a gratitude journal? Here are some of my tips for getting started:
Pick a journal.
You could choose one small enough to slip in your purse or a bigger one to keep on your nightstand or topic/theme specific journals.
Keep tabs on the happy moments.
When something good happens to you, take a moment to write it down. How did it make you feel? By jotting down the good, happy moments, you're making it a habit to focus on the positive instead of dwelling on the negative.
Set an intention.
Before you start your day, take a moment to set an intention for the day. It can be something that you are grateful for or an affirmation for the day. Don't know where to start? When I first started journaling, I used to take the daily quote from my yogi tea. It helped a lot! As I got the hang of things, my daily affirmation and intentions just started to come naturally. You can also use an affirmation deck to help guide you along.
Nightly gratitude.
Before you go to bed at night, take time to capture your favorite moment of the day. What made you smile today? This will help you to appreciate things in your life. You’ll be amazed at how much you are missing when you do. The Five Minute Journal is perfect for this.
Ask yourself this...
What are you grateful for today? What is one thing that made you smile today?
To make it even simpler, I can’t recommend The Five Minute Journal from Intelligent Change enough. Now, The Five-Minute Journal hasn't relinquished all negative from my life. Instead, it forces you to shift your thinking and focus on the things that bring joy and value to daily life. For example, I may wake up one morning and be grateful for my cozy bed or for waking up before my alarm. Like my mother always said, it's the little things that count. The Five-Minute Journal makes these valuable moments more apparent.
Gratitude can change your life. It's the experience of recognizing and counting your blessings and being thankful for the life that you live. Sure, it's not easy, but there is always a light within your day. Practicing gratitude is a great ritual to establish. It’s easy, simple, and takes 5 minutes out of your day to reflect on the good in your life.
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