About to have an Oprah moment.
It is so easy to get bogged down with the negativity in today's world. And believe me there is PLENTY.
But we have to figure out a mind shift for the upcoming year, figure out a way to change the things we have complete control over and find a way to shift the dark cloud in our lives and begin a new way of looking at things in our own lives.
I think it is time to focus more on gratitude on a daily basis. Focus on the little things that have happened in our lives and be grateful for them. The possibilities are endless and important to notice.
I found a terrific website that I wanted to share with you...it is called Happify Daily. And it is a study being taken to study how we navigate through life and how stress hinders that journey. But an article that I found particularily inforative was entitled, "The Science behind Gratitude (and How it can CHANGE your life)" by Derrick Carpenter, he gives us a framework on how to refocus our gratitude strategy.
First, FRESHEN UP YOUR THANKS! This could be from those good ole gratitude journals and every night before going to bed, take an assessment of your day. And make sure to be grateful about the little things...the little moments...and be more specific. While it is good to be grateful about your job, or your marriage...perhaps it is better to say "I am so thankful I was able to be there for Jenny today." -or- "I am so grateful for John putting the dishes away today without asking."
But what Carpenter encourages is that you stretch your gratitude beyond what is in front of your eyes..."I am grateful for that sunrise I saw on the way to work." -or- "I am grateful for the taste of tonight's dinner." By becoming more focused on opening our eyes to the world around us, Carpenter says that we will experience a deeper level of gratitude.
Second, GET REAL ABOUT YOUR THANKFULNESS PRACTICE!
Carpenter states, "Being excited about the benefits of gratitude can be a great thing because it gives us the kick we need to start making changes. But if our excitement about sleeping better because of our newfound gratitude keeps us from anticipating how tired we’ll be tomorrow night when we attempt to journal, we’re likely to fumble and lose momentum. When we want to achieve a goal, using the technique of mental contrasting—being optimistic about the benefits of a new habit while also being realistic about how difficult building the habit may be – leads us to exert more effort. Recognize and plan for the obstacles that may get in the way. For instance, if you tend to be exhausted at night, accept that it might not be the best time to focus for a few extra minutes and schedule your gratitude in the morning instead."
Third is MAKE THANKFULNESS FUN BY MIXING IT UP
If journaling becomes boring to you to stagnant, stir it up a bit...perhaps Carpenter suggests a gratitude jar? I am thinking of posting a weekly affirmation of what I am grateful for for that particular week. Or perhaps posting a week of daily gratitude on Facebook?
Last is the most awesome and most daunting. BE MORE SOCIAL ABOUT YOUR DAILY GRATITUDE.
This entails accountability but I think it also allows gratitude to spread. My blog will put my gratitude out on a weekly basis. But Carpenter also encourages us to think about compiling and creating a gratitude letter to someone who has made a particular impact on our lives and to write/verbalize how they have done that...and then SEND THE LETTER!!! Perhaps it is someone who you have not properly thanked? It may open up a wonderful conversation that would promote even more gratitude.
Carpenter concludes, "Incorporating gratitude into your life is easy—and fun—with Happify's activities and games: Sign up today!"
Give it a shot!!! What can it hurt??
Perhaps you could follow my blog by becoming a follower and we can hold each other accountable for the gratitude we put out there!!
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