Science says: gratitude is the key to happiness AND happiness can lead to success
Welcome, friends! Today we're talking about one of our *fav* subjects: Gratitude. And it's super apropos because we're all in the midst of a global pandemic. Which can be a tricky time to feel grateful. (Here's to flattening the curve & zoom recordings!)
We want to share with you our best tips for changing your mental lens. So that you find it easier to defer to gratitude. In all situations. Aaaand we've got some easy gratitude practices you can start implementing to build that gratitude muscle.
It's not necessarily the reality that shapes us, but the lens through which your brain views the world that shapes your reality. - psychologist Shawn Achor
CHANGE YOUR LENS
Mission trip rules. No complaining about obvious things. Things that probably everyone else is feeling too. i.e. I'm tired, i'm hot, I'm hungry. Go ahead and feel those human feelings, that's only natural. But seeing as that's your first thought & you can't help it, control what thought comes next. The second thought we have is our choice. Choose wisely.
What you think about, you bring about! Want more positivity, gratitude, abundance... start thinking about those things! Imagine you have 2 buckets in your brain: the complaints bucket and the gratitude bucket. Which one would you prefer to be spilling over? Focus on the silver linings, the little things. *Our gratitude practices below can help you do this.
Gratitude is all about perspective. Gratitude is especially important during life’s big moments. Yes the big, exciting moments bring about floods of gratefulness, and that’s easy! But in life’s harder moments - have you ever felt grateful? I (Francesca) lost my grandmother earlier this year and after she passed, yes I felt a whole mix of emotions - sadness, grief, anger - all the things. But honestly, ya’ll, one of the biggest things I felt was gratitude. All I kept thinking was how grateful I was to know and love her, be loved by her, and to learn from her. The Lens in which we see things ultimately changes how we work, how we cope, how we live our everyday life.
FUN FACT #1: We are born with 2 fears - falling & loud noises. All the other fears we’ve learned & can therefore unlearn. Gratitude practices help us quiet the fear voices & turn up the joyful voices
Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance. - Eckhart Tolle
FUN FACT #2 The brain chemical dopamine makes you happier & turns on all the learning centers of your brain. Sooooo building yourself a gratitude practice could release more dopamine, which could make you smarter... What do you have to lose for being MORE grateful?
GRATITUDE PRACTICE IDEAS
Journal 3-5 new things, specific things you're grateful for, er’day. Beginning of the day like Francesca, end of the day like Audra. Either way, this is our personal favorite ritual.
“Cash Out” Frank actually taught me (Francesca) this one - and it’s a practice he calls “cashing out” at the end of each day. In this exercise, you mentally (or even write down) how your day went and think about areas you’d like to improve in, what worked, what didn’t, what projects you moved the needle forward on, how your interactions with others went. When you “cash out” at the end of the day, the day feels more complete.
Walk & talk. Maybe you're outside for a walk or a run. While you're out there, whisper your 3-5 things or NOTICE what’s around you that you specifically enjoy. Heyyyyy mindfulness practice *built into* a gratitude practice *built into* an exercise practice. #winwinwwin
Pillow talk. Share your gratitude list with your partner at the end of the day. I (Audra) do this often with my hubby on the weekends.
Count on your fingers. Don't want to write your list down? No problem. Verbally or mentally count out your 3-5 new, specific things on your fingers.
FRIENDS... Be sure to turn inward, too! Be grateful for yourself! You can even give yourself a mantra like "I am strong. I am powerful. I can do anything." Whatever you choose to say, we hope you feel grateful for YOU! For those legs that get ya moving, the lungs that breathe in fresh summer air, those thighs that get ya twerkin! You’re amazing - be grateful!
Comments