Gratitude Is A Practice

Practicing gratitude is one of the most empowering gifts you can give yourself.  You will start to see the  power of daily gratitude practice in no time at all.

Yes, you heard it right, gratitude is a practice!

While it is great to have an attitude of gratitude, practicing gratitude, or taking actions for being grateful, is where you start to see true transformation in your life.

What is a Gratitude Journal?

Keeping a gratitude journal enables you to build a collection of the wonderful experiences which reflect the ways you have shown appreciation in and for your life.

Importantly, it keeps your focus very clearly on what you want more of in your life.

Practicing gratitude simply means that you have a daily ritual of actions which show that you are thankful for the many gifts, people and hidden treasures in your life.

Taking action daily will help you build gratitude as a positive habit in your life.

Why Would You Keep A Gratitude Journal?

I started a gratitude journal when I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000.  It was a constant reminder to be thankful for everything in my life.

Some days it would be harder than others, but I could always find something to be grateful for.  It was a key action to help keep a positive mindset even on the harder days.

There are a number of reasons why you may benefit from keeping a gratitude journal:

It is a constant reminder to yourself that you always have something to be thankful for. When we are caught in the dramas of life, it can start to drag you down.  When you disconnect from the moment in a quiet space, you can see things in a more subtle less damaging light.

You will start to recognise the patterns in your life.  When you are recording what you are grateful for each day, you will start to see patterns (healthy or otherwise).  Once you recognise the pattern, you can start to change the unhealthy patterns.

It’s a reminder to give thanks for the ordinary moments and the people in your life.  You have chosen these special people to be in your life, but so often we forget to tell them.

A practice of gratitude will help remind you to tell them, everyday.

It reminds you what’s important in life.  Sometimes we get so caught up in working that we forget to have a life as well.

Practicing gratitude reminds you of the all things that are truly important and those that are not so important.

9 Steps To Creating Your Gratitude Journal

1. Purchase a diary or notebook that you can use to write in everyday.  I preferred to have one with a positive quote on the front as a constant reminder to practice gratitude.

Special Tip – Before you start, give the book to your friends and family and ask them to write one to three reasons why they love you or why you are so special to them.

The feeling when you get your book back is heart filling.  Knowing how special you are to people can really pull you forward when you don’t feel great.

2. The next few pages collect inspirational quotes that you can read to pick you up if you feel down.

3. Each day or night, find a quiet space away from other people, your mobile, your computer or any other distraction in life.

4. Close your eyes.

5. Take three deep breaths, allowing your exhale to be longer than your inhale.  This will calm your nervous system and help you disconnect from any low lights of your day.  You can download this deep breathing exercise to help you.

6.  Ask this question out loud:  “What am I grateful for today?”

7.  Open your eyes.

8.  Write whatever comes up.  While I understand there are phone apps that will do the job, don’t do this as a function, hand writing it instead will make a world of difference.  This is not a “to do” list item.  Really connect with it  as the power is in the written words you use.  You could also consider writing three things that you would like to be grateful for the following day.

9.  Read your gratitude journal the morning before you start your day to set you off in the right direction.

Enjoy your gratitude journal!  It is an empowering gift to yourself, as you will end up with a collection of wonderful experiences and reasons why you love being you and why life is so special for you and those around you.  Your life has a ripple effect on everyone you meet.

It is amazing how it isn’t the “big things”, but rather the ordinary moments which make life so special. You will end up with an amazing collection of them and more importantly your life with change.

Do You practice the power of daily gratitude? Do you have something to be grateful for today?  Have you written in your Gratitude Journal today?

Like this article? Please share it and help your circle of influence stay positive and find a little more gratitude.

Love Gai