Gratitude
Gratitude is an all-encompassing practice. It involves showing, recognizing and appreciating the positive aspects within our lives, while acknowledging all the little things that bring our lives value and meaning. Gratitude can help us learn to slow down, stay grounded in the present moment and become conscious of the beauty that is all around us.
Practicing gratitude can create a deeper connection to our emotions, giving us inner strength to focus on the positive during turbulent times. While it is important to feel our feelings, after we have worked through the sadness, hurt or anger we need to release their hold over us. Gratitude can help guide us out of that space, so we do not get stuck in ruminating thoughts.
Staying grounded in the present moment can be challenging for many of us. We are often thinking about tomorrow, or next week and how quickly we can get to the next person, place or thing in our lives. We find ourselves constantly thinking about the future and what life will look like in five or ten years, if we just made more money or got married and had children.
It is easy to get stuck in the flow of the physical world, after all, we do live in physical space and time. Gratitude can help us become more grounded and centered in the present moment. It allows us to take a moment to pause and reflect, to realize that everything is as it should be. This can give us clarity to see through the illusions of the past and the endless loop of future thinking.
Practicing gratitude allows us to find our center and embrace the beauty that is all around. It could be as simple as looking out the window at the birds foraging on the lawn under the trees or simply being grateful for your morning cup of coffee. There truly is always something to be grateful for.
Adopting a gratitude practice can be a helpful tool on the inner work journey. Forming a daily gratitude practice of finding moments throughout the day to take pause and discover the hidden gems within our lives can help build inner strength, confidence and self-esteem. Giving us the courage to endure the challenges of the journey.
How to Practice Gratitude
1. Daily Gratitude: when you wake up each day, find three things to be grateful for. This could even be done again before you go to sleep, another opportunity to take a moment to pause and be grateful for three things that happened to you that day.
2. Adopt a gratitude journaling practice. List out four items each day that you are grateful for and pause to reflect on why you are grateful, and how it makes you feel. Take time to reflect to write in depth answers. Some examples could be your life, health, your family, career or pets.
If you find this exercise difficult, start out small and find simple things to be grateful for like your hot shower, cup of coffee or the fresh air coming in from outside. This exercise will help you stay grounded in the present moment, helping you appreciate all that you have in your life.
3. Practicing mindfulness is another example of finding opportunities to be grateful. When you go outside to walk to your car, look around, are there birds flying or singing, is there grass or pavement, is the weather hot or cool, is the sun shining or is it cloudy, is it breezy or still. Take a moment to reflect on each feeling and be grateful to experience this moment.
4. Meditation is another useful tool to practice gratitude. Going within to your quiet place to reflect and visualize what fills your heart with joy, love and gratitude. It could be someone you love, or it could be your favorite animal friend. Feeling joy and gratitude for all that we love can expand our heart chakra and fill our hearts with love.
5. Affirmations and prayer are also beneficial with a gratitude practice. Saying daily affirmations of gratitude can reprogram our thoughts in a positive light, helping us manifest love and joy in our lives. We can also say a prayer of gratitude. Pray to whatever you believe in, whether that is God, the Divine, the Source or your own soul. A gratitude prayer can be a powerful spiritual tool on the journey.
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