Can I be frank? Life has been kinda hard lately. There is a lot going on that has been wearing me down. It is during times like this that fostering a spirit of gratitude is harder than normal, but more important than ever.
The Science
Regularly practicing gratitude literally rewires your brain by restructuring neural pathways. Dopamine is released to help you feel happier and maintain your happiness. It can reduce stress, anxiety, and depression. Gratitude can help with sleep, focus, immunity, and even digestion.
How To
I know what you are thinking, that sounds fantastic, sign me up… How do I do this?
With Family
Practicing gratitude as a family is a wonderful bonding experience and a great means of accountability.
My husband and I tell each other something we are grateful for before bed at night. As our children grow and gain the ability to talk, I envision this becoming a dinner time conversation, where everyone goes around and shares what they are grateful for that day.
As a general rule of thumb, we have made it cheating to say God or family members in a general sense. I could, however, say, “I am grateful you took out the trash for me.”
Journaling
Journaling gratitude is nice because then you can look back and reflect on the wonderful blessings God has granted you in this life.
It can be a physical journal or a note on your phone. You can simply say, “baby wipes and deodorant,” or you can go more in-depth. “Today I am grateful for baby wipes and deodorant, so I can push off a shower until tomorrow, so I don’t have to take one at 2200 after finally getting the baby to sleep.”
Prayer
Taking time to thank God for all the wonderful gifts he has given us is a great way to not only practice gratitude, but to spend more time in prayer. There are two big ways I try to do this every day.
The first is to thank God as I go. Thank Him for the beautiful sunrise as I watch it. Thank Him for going the opposite way of the traffic as I drive.
The second is that, at the end of the day, I will pray through all the blessings of the day. Starting with thanking God for bringing us safely through the night and end with getting to go to bed.
I hope this helps you to foster a spirit of gratitude and that you will be able to enjoy the amazing benefits. I would love to know if you have any tips for how you focus on gratitude, as well as what you are grateful for right now, in a comment below.
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