Gratitude changes your life, honestly. Wow, that’s a big statement to make isn’t it. But so many people I know or have learnt from make that statement. Gratitude can certainly change the way you feel about yourself and your life as it is.
It is a core part of the first aspect of our teaching and coaching. We always start within the first week or two of getting people to be grateful for 3 things each day in their lives. They can be big things or the tiniest of things, it really doesn’t matter. Just starting the gratitude practice means we can change our outlook on our lives.
Starting a gratitude practice means we actually changes our brains. We have a part of our brain called the Reticular Activating System (RAS) for short. And that part of our brain shows us what we think about. What I mean by that is when you decide to buy a car, all you then see is the exact car you are buying. That is your RAS, so when we start a gratitude practice and being grateful for the smallest of things. All you will see is good things and not the not so good things.
It changes our perception of our lives and that helps us see the world in a different way. This is an exert from a blog written by Dr David Hamilton. If you don’t know anything about him, look him up please. Here is the quote:
“8. It makes you feel more in control of your life (more optimism)
After observing that gratitude is having a positive effect on life and emotions, we begin to feel more optimistic and in control of our lives, rather than being bounced around by life events. With renewed optimism and strength, gratitude can even help us to turn our lives around.” https://drdavidhamilton.com/10-reasons-why-gratitude-is-good-for-you/
You can start by either saying or writing down 3 things you are grateful for each day. You do not need any fancy book, just a notepad and pen that’s all. Morning or night it does not matter either, whatever works for you. I personally do most of it in the morning. However I have also developed the habit of being in gratitude throughout the day.
My one I always do, is say thank you for parking spaces and thank you when I come out of a road junction. Not very exciting I know, but what you then find is the coolest thing. I always get a parking space when I go to a car park even at peak times. And I always come out of road junctions really quickly and easily. Bonus in my book.
There is no special way you have to write it. For me I just write “Today I am grateful for:” and then continue with bullet points. I don’t write down the parking spaces, I say that in my head when I have parked. No-one knows I have even thought those words other than the universe.
It really is that simple, not complicated and you never have to write anything down if you choose not too. The only thing is to find the smallest of things you are grateful for, like a smile, a cuppa, a pillow to rest your head. Or the biggest one which we never do……the fact we woke up this morning!
Happy Gratitude.
Love from Lynne xx