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15 simple ways to practice gratitude and live a happier life

15 Simple Ways to Practice Gratitude and Live a Happier Life

You may have learned how to properly reflect on the gratitude that you experience in your life but take a moment to consider whether you are properly expressing that gratitude in your day-to-day experiences. When we fully embrace gratitude in our lives, we can live a happier life, so consider these 15 simple ways to practice gratitude and ask yourself if you are embracing gratitude to the fullest. 

  1. Spend Time with Loved Ones

Spending quality time with those we love benefits us in so many ways, from just giving us a reason to smile to helping us build long lasting relationships. When you’re with your loved ones then you are given so much to be thankful for, and thus it is a good opportunity to practice your gratitude with the people who support you.

  1. Participate in Hobbies You Enjoy

When you take the time to exercise the passion that you have towards your hobbies then you are reminding yourself of all the things that can make you happy. Be sure to recognize how grateful you are to have the opportunities and abilities to engage in these hobbies.

  1. Incorporate Random Acts of Kindness into Your Every Day

Whether you pay for the coffee for the person in line behind you or you pick up some litter on your morning commute, practicing random acts of kindness on a daily basis not only gives you time to reflect on the goodness in the world, but will help others feel gratitude for your kindness.

  1. Avoid Negativity

Negativity can sometimes be impossible to avoid, but when you dedicate your time to purposefully ignoring negativity and focusing on the good then you give your mind a place for happy thoughts to flourish. The happier your headspace is, the more it has the opportunity to focus on gratitude for the positive things in your life.

  1. Volunteer

Volunteering allows you to do amazing things for other people and causes, and it also serves as a reminder of how fortunate you are to be in a position where you can help others. When you volunteer you are giving back to the world that you are already so grateful for.

  1. Recognize Other People’s Efforts

If someone goes out of their way to work harder, then they deserve to be noticed for it. Think back to all the times you put in extra effort only for it to go unnoticed. While you were likely proud of your work, it would have been nice to be recognized, wouldn’t it? Give them an extra loud “thank you” when your barista goes out of their way to give you fresh coffee. If you notice a co-worker working harder than anybody else, remind your boss that they’re doing a good job. Even if their efforts do not have a direct effect on you, calling them out for their well-doings helps spread positivity and reminds them that their work is not going unnoticed.

  1. Thank Even the Smallest of Efforts

Whenever somebody does something for you, from holding open a door to providing you a tangible service, they deserve a thank you. Be sure to vocalize your thanks for people at any given opportunity, as a reminder that you are thankful for their presence in your day.

  1. Take on New Challenges

When a new opportunity for a challenge appears in your life, take it. Taking on new challenges presents us with a learning opportunity where we can grow and become stronger from it.

  1. Write Down the Good

Whenever you feel gratitude for something that’s happened throughout your day, take note of it. Keeping a gratitude journal (or even a list on your phone) serves as a reminder of all the wonderful things that happen throughout your day-to-day life, and gives you something positive to reflect on during the times where you worry that you have little to be thankful for.

  1. Incorporate Gratitude into Your Daily Affirmations

Daily affirmations are known to increase your feelings of self-worth and positivity. Many of our daily affirmations may focus on specific things or goals that we wish to accomplish, but you can never have too many affirmations. Begin tomorrow’s list with “Today I am grateful for…” and add to the list every morning, or use your nightly affirmations as a reminder of all the good that happened that day.

  1. Meditate

When you are meditating you are giving your mind time to pause during your busy life and wind down from life’s stresses. While sometimes we need some down time to close our eyes and re-charge, meditating also gives you the perfect opportunity to visualize all the things that we are thankful for. The things that we are grateful for deserve to be focused on and serves as a reminder for you about how many things there are to be thankful for and to fill your meditation time with.

  1. Share More Positivity Online

Social media is often used to express your thoughts and opinions on things, good or bad. While you might be used to using it to freely complain, try not to let your online profile become a place of negativity. Instead of posting only your negative thoughts about the last movie you just watched, use your posts to share a positive encounter with your followers. We are so used to being bombarded with news stories and online drama that a post about something that made you feel joy can act as a cleanser for other’s timelines.

  1. Appreciate Nature

Take a short walk on your next day off and remind yourself to appreciate how beautiful your surroundings are. We often take nature for granted when we should be thankful for the things it can provide us, from the oxygen that trees release to the beautiful views that flowers can provide us with.

  1. Make a List of the Things You’ve Learned When Stressed

The next time you find yourself caught up in a stressful situation, think about what you can learn from it. Though it may be frustrating to be caught up in it now, the things that you learn might not only prevent it from happening again but will give you an opportunity to remind yourself of how you are strong enough to overcome it.

  1. Write More Thank You Notes

Sometimes a simple “thank you” is not enough to properly convey how someone’s actions have helped us. When someone goes above and beyond to make your life a little bit easier despite how it might have affected them, consider writing them a well-thought out and personalized thank-you letter. Did a friend recently help you move? Write to them about how much easier they made it for you and mention how you recognize the sacrifices that they made to spend the day with you. Thank-you letters are so rare these days that receiving one could make the recipient’s week. While writing it you will also be given an opportunity to reflect on how thankful you are for the amazing people in your life.

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Gratitude

12 Ways to Feel Gratitude during a Pandemic

12 Ways to Feel Gratitude during a Pandemic

This past year has certainly been challenging for all of us in so many ways. There are times it is difficult to see the beauty around us when we are surrounded by challenges. This can be the same not only in a pandemic but during any crisis. The key is to focus on even small things to be happy about, as you feel gratitude for these things it will be easier to find even greater gratitude and happiness around you.

Personally right now as I am writing this I am truly grateful to be warm and cozy inside with about 18 inches of snow on the ground.

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1 Beautiful Day

Being grateful for the day is an easy place to start. Is the weather nice? If it isn’t do you have the means to stay comfortable? Look for local birds or plants; think about how they impact the area you are seeing.

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2 Time in Nature

I have spent a lot of time walking just to get a change of scenery, to feel better and for my overall well-being. Luckily I leave a short driving distance from walking trails. Even sitting in a park or your yard can bring a sense of wellbeing.

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3 Comfortable Cloths

I certainly spend more time in comfortable cloths than I ever have working from home exclusively. Maybe it’s a fuzzy pair of socks or a favorite sweater than can make you feel better even on a rough day. C:\Users\Autumn\Downloads\cat_and_dog_sitting_on_steps_next_to_door-scopio-f48d4ad2-93fa-4670-865c-4f38c7ec3175.jpg

4 Pets/Animals

If you have pets, be grateful for their love and company. If you don’t have pets, be grateful to that beautiful bird or cute squirrel that crosses your path.

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5 Games/Puzzles

Puzzles and games have helped family’s reduce boredom and spend time together. In a time with so many electronics getting back to these basic board games and puzzles has allowed a new generation to find old school fun.

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6 Creativity

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7 Treasured Item

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8 Coffee

Coffee, tea this can be any beverage of your choice.

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9 Health

Be thankful for even a single portion of your health. Maybe you have great eyesight or hearing, maybe you are flexible, pick out one thing that makes you feel good about yourself.

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10 Family

In these uncertain times spending time and being grateful for members of our family can be a key to our wellbeing. These people don’t have to be related to you by blood, just people you feel you can truly trust and rely on.

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11 Virtual Tours

Many museums are offering virtual tours. What a great way to see a museum you could never get to in the past. Something new in a world with far too many restrictions.

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12 Books

Many of us have more time at home than we ever have. Books can transport us into a new place or time. Whether you read paper copies, on a device or via audiobooks they can be a great way to relax. Find a new story, ready a biography of someone you admire or a book about a historical time period that you find fascinating.

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How to Start a Gratitude Journal You Can Stick With

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Creating a journaling routine can seem challenging at first if you have never done it before. Essentially you have to carve out a few min every day to sit and journal. There are a few guidelines though that can make it easier to create a habit.

1) Pick a time that tends to be your quiet time of the day. If mornings are busy getting off to work and getting kids off to school, trying to add journaling in then will never work. Maybe you carve out a few quiet moments at lunch or before dinner. For me my quiet time is in the evening before bed. I like to read and have some quiet moments. This is the best time for me to do my gratitude journaling.

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2) Find a journal book style and pen you really like. There are lots of sizes to choose from. If you want to be able to take it on the go, get something small enough to fit in your purse. A bigger size will work if you plan to leave it at home. Think about how you like to write – do you like lines, unlined, artwork? It may take a few attempts to really figure out what you prefer.

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3) Make it a habit. It takes 21 days to create a habit. So make a commitment to yourself to spend 10-15 minutes a day on your journaling no matter what for the next month.

4) Be Flexible. If you try evening and you fall asleep instead of journaling, try a different time. Wish your journal had lines? Or artwork? You can draw in lines or add stickers to decorate it.

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5) Expect the Unexpected. It may take a few attempts to really feel like you can make journaling stick.

6) If you already journal and just want to add gratitude journaling you can create a separate journal or just incorporate daily gratitude into your existing progress.

It’s ok to make mistakes, to try and try again to find what works. There is no right or wrong way to journal. The ultimate key is finding what works for you. If you stop for a while (sometimes life happens) it’s OK to pick up where you left off.

 

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Gratitude

Being Grateful while Social Distancing

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of changes around COVID–19.  This is a challenging and fluid situation.  It can be easy to get drawn in to all the negative situations and reports around us.  Many of us are isolated from friends and family.

Many people have lost jobs even temporarily, trying to work remote while entertaining kids who cant go to school, or have to go into work in spite the health risks.  My heart goes out to all the people working in health care and all the sacrifices they are making.

Take time for yourself.  Write in your journal.  Find some new things to be grateful about. Myself I am working from home with my daughter who had surgery and could finally attend school, the day they closed it.  I was on a conference call today and one thing said was really inspirational.  Its OK to feel, stressed or be upset with everything going on but do one thing every day that makes you feel good.  I love to walk on a local trail, so weather permitting I plan to do that as my daily gift to myself and my mental health.

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Home with family? This is a great time to re-connect with your household, play a board game, watch a movie as a family or just talk.  Many schools aren’t set up for on-line learning.  Its a great time for the kids to learn some basic life skills.  Cook a meal or have them follow a recipe (depending on age) with your supervision, show them how to balance a checkbook, do laundry or hem a pair of pants.

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No Kids? If you are with a partner spend some quality device free time together.    If you are alone? Do that on-line class you never get to, work on a project you’ve had on your list for a while or do a video happy hour with a friend.

Be grateful for the health care workers out there every day trying to help and for friends and family pitching in to watch children so those workers or others like them have to go into work right now.

Still getting your regular paycheck? Help the local businesses by buying gift cards if they have to close to use later and get takeout from local restaurants to help support them.  Do what you can to help from a safe distance.

 

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