3 Powerful Ways to be Practice Being Grateful Every Day
Image: Dominica Reid/Caleb Morris
By: Dominica Reid
As the Thanksgiving weekend is coming to an end, and I am slowly recovering from all of the turkey and homemade mac ‘n cheese I ate, I am reminded of all of the wonderful things I am thankful for in my life. Thanksgiving is the time of year that we learn to be thankful for everything that we have. May it be health, family, money, and of course the food on our plates. I personally have so many wonderful things that I am thankful for, from my wonderful fiancé, to my ability to travel, to my awesome family members, and friends. So many amazing things have happened to me this year, nonetheless I believe that we should try to practice gratitude every single day. I personally practice gratitude every day myself. Once I made practicing gratitude a daily habit, my life has changed drastically for the better. It’s so easy to be caught up in the day to stressors, that we forget to be grateful for all the good things in our life. I know from my own experience to be very true, and I figured out three simple tips and tricks that help me to remember to be grateful every day.
1.) Find a time in your day to practice
Image: Dominica Reid
When I first started with my gratitude practice I would randomly, throughout the day, find a time to “squeeze” in my gratitude practice, this made other things in my life take precedence over my practice, and often this would lead me to just forget to do it. Once I carved out a specific time in my day to sit and reflect on all the things I am grateful for I was able to turn it into a daily practice. For some people it is easiest to do this first thing in the morning, for me it is best to do this right before I go to bed. Find what time of the day works best for you, and make it your designated time to practice gratitude.
2.) Keep a Gratitude Journal
This doesn’t need to be anything fancy or expensive. My first gratitude journal was a composition notebook from the dollar store. In this journal I would write three experiences I was a grateful for that happened that specific day, and three experiences I was grateful for that would happen in the future. The latter didn’t have to be a future event that I knew for sure would happen, for example one of the things I wrote was that I was grateful for getting my own apartment in the city with an amazing view. At the time I had no idea how I would do it but I gave gratitude for it. I ended up with an amazing apartment with a direct view of the Atlanta Bank of America Tower and the Fox Theater, from both my living room and bedroom, and I absolutely love my apartment!
3.) Make sure to include future events
Image: Dominica Reid/Caleb Morris
ALWAYS give thanks to things that may happen in the future. Focus your thoughts on things you want to happen in the future. Giving gratitude for your current situation is important, but also make sure to focus your thoughts on what you want to achieve in the future. As I mentioned previously I had done this and then found my dream apartment, jobs, and also my fiancé.
These were the three things that I have done to jumpstart my gratitude journey, and they have helped me to become more mindful, appreciative, and happier in my life. I hope you can use them for your gratitude practice.