How I practice gratitude.

We live in a world that requires us to crave after someone else life, the things they have, the people they hang out with. Social media gives us this perception that what we have going on in life doesn't amount to what they have because they photograph the perfect vacation, relationship, cars, and designer clothes & shoes. We know that social media is a highlight reel, but it doesn't stop us from wishing we were where they are. I mean those of us who want to be honest. 

But I have been practicing intentional gratitude for the past few weeks and I realize that it all starts with the mindset. I never noticed how often I complained to myself, or even out loud to my husband. Whether its a small complaint, or a much larger one, I was doing it a lot. From how tired I was, to not wanting to drive in the rain, to wishing I was further along in my business, to complaining about some part of my body. 

So I started to be intentional with my thinking. Any time I had a complaint I would instantly replace it with something. Sometimes, something so simple. I can recall being super tired heading into the office one morning. Instead of saying how tired I was, I said, "I am thankful that there are people who trust me enough to spend there time and their money to help them with their healing."I remember being irritated with the rain, and I said, "thank you for the rain, the foundation of my house needs it." I remember being irritated that my son was so energetic and I was so tired, but I told myself, "I am thankful for having a healthy son, no matter how crazy I think he is sometimes."

The whole idea of gratitude is focusing more on whats there, instead of what is not. Step back, look at your life and recognize what you have, how far you've come, and embrace that. Allow your eyes to always look for the "love" in your life. Seek out the beauty in life, from the way the trees change color in the fall, to how the sun beams on your skin as you walk down the street. Appreciating that running car in the parking lot, the warm house you walk into at the end of the day. Appreciate the annoying friend that checks on you even when you don't want them too. I know the job is annoying as hell, but you have one right?

Start small: start reframing your thinking. Acknowledge the goodness in life and embrace it. 

So how exactly does gratitude help?

Simply put, it helps shift your focus. When you put gratitude into play you are deliberately looking at the good in each situation that shifts the focus from the bad to the good. It helps improve your quality of life by allowing you to develop a more positive outlook on life. 
When you are focused on the positive you eliminate any room for unnecessary drama, people, or negative energy. Cause you are always focused on your gratitude drip. 

So lets put this into practice here are a few things you can do this week.
Purchase a gratitude journal! Here are a few of my favs: all of which can be found on amazon. But honestly find one that tickles your fancy.

Each day look at your life and start by being grateful for only one thing that happened each day. After a while you'll come up with a list of things to be grateful for. Not so hard now is it?

​Now it's up to you to keep it going! And just take it one day, one moment, one step at a time. 
We aren't perfect, and there are some days that I fall off my square of gratitude, but when I realize it, I just get back on my square and start over!