Can you come up with three things that you’re grateful for, every day? Sounds pretty simple right? But it takes a certain kind of mindset to first, remember that you want to come up three things and then second, to actually do it, every day.
Several weeks ago, I spent a few days at my favorite retreat center called Kripalu Yoga and Health Center located in the heart of the Berkshires in Massachusetts. Every time I go and get away from my day-to-day goings-on, I come away with something – a new habit, a new healthy food interest, a new way of thinking – that wouldn’t have entered my purview otherwise.
This trip, the theme seemed to gravitate towards the need for an attitude of gratitude and feeling grateful. Why? Because with all the shifting going on in the world, I feel a profound sense of chaos that is unmooring me and I feel I need an anchor. An anchor that reminds me about what is good in my world and what is going right.
It helped that there was a gratitude session led by Izzy Lenihan who explained that having an attitude of gratitude shifts one’s awareness FROM rejecting and defending TO acceptance and appreciation. It’s the power of transforming everything into a blessing.
Sounded really good in theory, but how to put it into daily practice? Ironically and coincidentally, I had recently been gifted a beautiful blank journal that now seemed perfect for writing my three daily gratitudes. I find it takes about a minute to think of three things and write them down in a bulleted list. Thinking of things I’m grateful for seems to come easier every day, probably because I’m now looking for things to be thankful and grateful for.
Maybe by just reading this you too might just get motivated to come up with three daily things you are grateful for. BUT if you’d like more motivation, I found this great website that has some wonderful reading resources:
http://gratefulness.org/resource/books-related-to-gratitude/
I don’t have to chase extraordinary moments to find happiness – it’s right in front of me if I’m paying attention and practicing gratitude. ~Brene Brown
ENTER NOW