Practice Gratitude Daily- #9 Advice
As I have transformed from a person who almost always put others first and was extremely hard on herself, I found that the daily practice of gratitude deepened not only my self-compassion but also my joy.
Practicing gratitude opened up even more possibilities for me, and I think that it will for you too.
Gratitude, according to psychology research, is strongly and consistently associated with extended happiness. Showing gratitude can help people feel positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships with more resilience and consistency.
Showing gratitude can drastically change your life because that small act makes you appreciate what you have rather than what you don’t. It can also be the most powerful source of inspiration that any person can tap into if they simply just stop and pay attention to the beauty and miracle of life.
I have 3 simple steps for you to begin your daily gratitude practice.
Daily Gratitude Practice:
Step 1: Before you get out of bed each morning, sit up and say 3 things that you are grateful for out loud. They don’t need to be anything big. On some mornings, I am grateful for just the smell of my cup of coffee. On others, it may be for life itself.
Once you have spoken and felt your gratitude, put your feet on the floor with the power of that gratitude for the upcoming day. I promise that you will notice a shift in how you begin each brand-new day full of possibilities.
Step 2: Once you can feel the gratitude, ask yourself who you want to show up as today. You can now choose to move to your favorite chair, lie in bed to do this step, or wait to put your feet on the floor after you have moved through all three steps.
Step 3: Continue with your feelings of gratitude, while visualizing yourself doing one small act as the person you have decided to be that day. Remember this is how you want to live your life for one day only. For example, I want to live this day as a person of service. I then close my eyes and I visualize myself in an act of service.
At first, begin with small acts and gradually expand them, as that feels safe and right. Maybe you are even thinking of a career change, but for today you are going to just edit your resume. If your act feels good, and you can stay in the feeling state of gratitude, then you know it’s not too big. The act that you are visualizing needs to feel as comfortable as your favorite sweater.
Begin practicing these three steps each day. Use these tools all day long if you want to.
If you feel yourself losing the feeling of gratitude, take three deep breaths, and remind yourself who you want to be, and the feeling will most likely come back to you. Often, things that happen during the day challenge us. No problem….just notice the challenge, and take those three deep breaths.
I can say honestly that this practice has changed the way that I live each day. I no longer have to think about the steps or remind myself about beginning my day in gratitude. I just do the ritual each morning as simply as I brush my teeth.
These steps also allow me to live each day with purpose as the person I want to be by moving me forward one small step at a time. Once I am feeling positive, I know my purpose will take place, because I created it. I live in service and offer small acts of kindness, which in turn, generate feelings of love.
Many of my clients have told me how this activity changed their lives. What is so beautiful for me to hear is that they then share this practice with others, and together we are all spending our days in a much happier place.
I am filled with gratitude that I am a mother guide. I am grateful that I am traveling on a journey with my son, Joseph. I am grateful that I am having this life experience and that I am able to share it with other mothers.
If you would like to know about how to deepen your daily gratitude practice, go to A Mother’s Guide Through Autism book Chapter 12.
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The days following hearing the words “Joseph is autistic,” were some of my darkest days. I was living with the deepest pain I had felt in my 32 years of life. It was my first life tsunami. I didn’t know the way out to find the light. It felt like instantly being lost and not knowing which way to go.