“Gratitude leads to greatness. It can literally turn what you have into more than enough, jobs into joy, chaos into order, uncertainty into clarity, and bring peace to an otherwise chaotic day.” — Marc Chernoff
Gratitude. It’s a powerful daily tool that most of us overlook. If you are searching for more, or different or better than what you have now, the way to find it is by being grateful for what you already have. It’s free, takes just a moment or two and has 7 (scientifically proven) health benefits. These include:
- Improved self-esteem
- Increased mental strength
- Improved psychological health
- Improved physical health
- Better sleep
- Enhanced empathy and aggression reduction
- Opens doors for new relationships
I know these are all things I want more of in my life. And what do we know is the key for getting more? That’s right…being grateful for what we have right now! But how do we go about creating time for gratitude in our lives? I’ve tried multiple ways to make a practice of gratitude stick in my own life. Journals, writing on little scraps and putting them in a jar, saying three things I’m grateful for when I wake up, etc. But nothing stuck. {Although maybe one of these could work for you.} What finally helped me to find time to express my gratitude daily was eating.
Every day, before I eat, I take a moment and say (in my head, usually) what I’m grateful for. It’s become a cue for me. Eating=gratitude. It’s kind of like saying grace, but slightly upgraded because I’m not just giving thanks for my food, although sometimes it’s definitely what I’m thankful for. {I’m looking at you fresh, local tomatoes.} Mainly I’m saying “grace” for the other things in and around my life. Eating has worked like a charm to trigger gratitude for me and maybe it can for you, too.
Light and Love,
♥k