Starting in November and leading into December one tends to experience more gratitude. Something about the holidays makes a person lean into being grateful. It is helpful to practice gratitude during the holidays to boost your mood.
Knowing when to pause in your daily activities is key. Pausing means you get intentional about being grateful. What happens when you do? Whenever I take the time to practice gratitude I get in a better mood.
This is especially true when I am feeling rushed, or if I had a hard day. Taking the time to reflect on what you are grateful for helps you make the shift. So, how can you start doing so today?
Time to practice gratitude
First, get comfortable and grab a journal or a notebook.
Be still for a few minutes and start thinking about things that have brought you joy. Write what comes to mind. There is something special about seeing it in writing that reinforces your gratitude. Did you know that you can be grateful for the hard times too? That is another level of awareness, but it too can serve you well.
Remembering what you have overcome and what you continue to push through strengthens your gratitude. It also makes you resilient against adversity. When you feel empowered you feel better instead of defeated.
Do you recall a time when you felt less than hopeful? During that time, you either had to persevere or give up on something. Looking back now, do you see how gratitude might be helpful?
Next, look at what you have written. Write how these things made you feel then and how you feel now. Compare the feelings and use it as a teaching moment. Did you learn what you needed? If it elevates your mood, you are on the right track.
Remember to appreciate
Going about your daily routine can make it easy to forget to practice gratitude. It isn’t that you are not grateful, but sometimes we take things for granted unintentionally. Give yourself grace and start fresh.
Appreciating the good things always gives you peace. It can be something a loved one or a friend did for you. Maybe it is something that you did for someone else. Both examples are rewarding. How would you not smile at accomplishing something so meaningful?
That is the power of gratitude. As a woman of faith, I make it a point to be grateful. However, there have been times when I remind myself to spend time on it. I don’t think anyone is that busy that they wouldn’t try.
Lastly, I encourage you to pause and reflect on this topic. See if it doesn’t boost your mood. Better yet pass it on to a friend who might need this encouragement.
Are you willing to set aside a few minutes to be grateful for something today? Grab that notebook and make it frequent practice. You will be glad you did.