Every year, when December kicks in, you hear lots of phrases that essentially say Christmas is a season of giving. It’s a time of feeling grateful for all the blessings you’ve received so far in life, and because of this gratefulness, you are inspired to give back and pay it forward. But feeling grateful or having a gratitude mindset shouldn’t be seasonal. It’s something you should have and practice all year round. Why? Because it makes life easier, lighter, and happier.
It’s easy to be stressed with everything going wrong in your life. Like why your long-distance boyfriend isn’t contacting you as much, who clogged the kitchen sink, or who wore your dress you were supposed to wear to the office today. To top all these hullabaloos, you scroll on Instagram and see how “perfect” the lives of others are and why, no matter how you try, you can never be at the same level as them.
Now imagine how different the world would be if it was filled with grateful individuals who know how to express their gratitude daily. Not a lot of people know that having an “attitude of gratitude” actually leads to a better mindset on life, a happier state of being, fewer anxious or depressive episodes, and a good night’s rest every day of the week.
After hearing these benefits, you might now be thinking of fostering a gratitude mindset. What could be so hard about it? You just look in the mirror every day and tell yourself what you are most grateful about. However, we’re here to tell you that it’s not that easy. It’s even difficult to get to the mirror and be honest with yourself.
But even though it’s hard, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. After all, we’re all just trying to live a happier life, right? Here’s how you can begin fostering a gratitude mindset, transforming your life in the process.
Start your day with gratitude.
Before checking what time it is, start a day with a smile and a “thank you” for giving you another day of life. When you go to the toilet to shower, think about just three things you are grateful for in your life right now. It could be grand like you’re excited for your first day as supervisor of your branch or something simple such as the warm bed that you woke up to, the clean water you’re using to shower at the moment, and the food you will eat for breakfast. Don’t mind it if there are days that you could only think of three because it’s normal. There would be other days that your list will go on forever. It doesn’t matter as long as you remind yourself of the things you are grateful about, every single day.
When you start your day with gratitude, it will give you a big picture of the good in your life. You would find yourself complaining less about small things that are trivial. It also builds up your mood throughout the day.
Begin a Gratitude Journal.
Every morning, every night, or whenever you feel like it, pull out a small journal and jot down what you are grateful for. You may use a simple, small notebook or a journal that’s designed to help you be more grateful. Even day planners have markers where you can write what you are grateful for today. Once this becomes a habit, keeping a gratitude journal can become a positive source of inspiration. You may look through it from time to time and see a perspective of your life that you are too stressed to be seeing and appreciating at the moment. On a bad day, you could use this journal as a tool to uplift your mood and help you get back on track.
Appreciate yourself.
We couldn’t stress this enough. You have to learn to appreciate yourself and if no one else tells you that you are amazing and enough, go tell it to yourself. Be your own cheerleader. Acknowledge your strengths and tap yourself on the shoulder for getting through your struggles despite your weaknesses. It’s hard to compliment yourself especially if you have low self-esteem but do the practice every day and we guarantee you that the practice will eventually become easier.
Make a list of everything you are grateful about, so far in your life. It doesn’t have to be that you’re grateful because you earned a million this year. It doesn’t have to be fancy or grand. It could be that you were able to get up and motivate yourself to go to the gym. It could be your eight-year-old kid coming to you while you are watching something on Netflix and giving you the tightest hug. It could be the “thank you” that you got from your colleague when you offered to do some copies of the meeting minutes for her. Of course, you could also go bigger if you want. Maybe, you are thankful that you were able to send all three of your children to school. You are thankful that you got to go to Paris for a weekend getaway. You won the Nobel Peace Prize Award for Journalism. What matters is you express gratitude to yourself, for being a mom to your kids, a friend to your grieving sister, and for simply showing up.
One way you could appreciate yourself as well as to reward and indulge with some shopping. Of course, if you are tight on budget, you still have to be practical. This is why the offers of the FlexiSpot Christmas Gift House are right for you. You could buy great quality ergonomic furniture at a reasonable price point with a discount you can’t get at any time of the year.
