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Quote of the day:

“If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change”

– Dr Wayne Dyer

Gratitude

What is it?

Gratitude is a positive emotion or attitude in which we recognize and appreciate the good things, people, or experiences in our lives. It involves being thankful for what we have, rather than focusing on what we lack. Gratitude can be directed towards many different things, such as our health, relationships, material possessions, opportunities, and more.

Having gratitude is one of the most powerful tools you possess. Being grateful for the good in our lives can have a huge impact on our health, happiness, overall wellbeing, and outlook on life.

Gratitude involves recognizing and acknowledging the positive aspects of our lives, no matter how small or insignificant they may seem. This can include feeling grateful for something as simple as a beautiful sunset, a cup of coffee, or your warm, cozy bed. In addition, gratitude doesn’t have to be just about physical things but acknowledging things about yourself that you are grateful for like your ability to not take things so seriously, for learning from past mistakes, or your commitment to small steps to better yourself.

By cultivating a mindset of gratitude, we can train ourselves to focus on the positive aspects of our lives and cultivate a greater sense of contentment and well-being.

Why does it matter?

Our brain is so incredibly powerful, and we know that our thoughts create our reality. The law of attraction suggests that when we choose to focus on the positive, we attract more positivity into our lives. Conversely, focusing on negativity brings more negative experiences. One way to cultivate positivity is by practicing gratitude, which activates various parts of the brain. The resulting chemical reactions have been scientifically proven to have many benefits to our mental and physical health.

When you spend all your time focusing on the things you don't have, instead of being grateful for what you do have, you are living in a lack mindset. Gratitude is a helpful way to feel joy about what is. When you are focusing on the problems of the past or the anxieties of the future, you are not truly living in the now. And the now is where we want to be. Do your best to see the good and be grateful in every moment.

Practicing gratitude can have a significant impact on your outlook on life. When you regularly focus on the things that you are thankful for, you begin to shift your perspective towards positivity and abundance, rather than negativity and scarcity.

Some ways gratitude helps is by increasing positive emotions, decreasing negative emotions, improving mental health, fostering resilience, strengthening relationships, increased empathy, and overall satisfaction with life.

How to connect inwards?

Practicing gratitude requires nothing but you, and is an easy way to connect inwards. To fully harness the positive effects of gratitude, it's important to actively seek out new things to appreciate every day.

Developing a habit of practicing gratitude everyday can be a powerful way to improve your outlook on life and increase your overall well-being. Here are some tips:

1. Start small: Begin by taking a few moments each day to focus on one thing you are grateful for. This can be something as simple as your morning coffee or a big hug.

2. Make it a daily routine: Set aside a specific time each day to focus on gratitude. It can be when you’re laying in bed, during a walk, or at breakfast.

3. Write it out, or use a gratitude journal: Make a commitment to write down a few things you are grateful for each day in a journal or notebook.

4. Practice gratitude in difficult times: Even during difficult times, it is important to focus on the positive things in your life. Make a point to find something to be grateful for, no matter how small it may seem.

Keeping a gratitude journal can be an effective tool for achieving this as it helps to reframe our mindset by directing our attention. Challenging ourselves to discover new things to be grateful for each day can transform the practice into a fun game.

The easiest way to get into the habit of gratitude is to say and feel it everyday ― which is why we have three lines in the Spring Forward daily planner to honor the things you are grateful for (coming very soon!).

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