Pause. Breathe. Hope. Heal.
Dear Reader! To make life easier for you, I wanted to give you this information in a couple different formats. You can either read this blog post, or click the link below to download the podcast and listen to the episode on the go.
Gratitude is defined in the Oxford dictionary online as, “The quality of being thankful”. Also, as “a readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness”.
It’s easy to feel thankful and grateful when things are going well. However, it’s more challenging to live from a place of thankfulness when things feel bleak. When we’re experiencing yet another disappointment or setback, it can be hard to feel a sense of appreciation.
I know this is going to sound counterintuitive but bear with me. It’s particularly when we’re experiencing hardships that we most need to practice the discipline of gratitude. Now, you might be wondering how it’s possible to do so when you’re feeling discontent and discouraged? To that, I’ll say start where you are at.
If you can start to practice this discipline when things are going well, that’s great. If not, then start where you are. Simply get into the habit of practicing gratitude daily. Find things that bring a sense of thankfulness to your heart and express it to yourself and to others. The more you do this, you will create a new neutral pathway of gratitude. What’s a neutral pathway? Think of it like a pathway or road in your brain. The more you travel that pathway or road, the more familiar it becomes. The repetition is needed to either cement old habits or form new habits.
If you’d like to develop the discipline of gratitude but don’t quite know where to begin, start by just being grateful for the basics.
- I am grateful that I am alive to see a new day.
- I am grateful that I can think and reason.
- I am grateful for my creativity.
- I am grateful for this season.
- I am grateful that I don’t have to stay stuck; I can grow.
Then, find a time that works for you to speak your chosen words of gratitude each day. Set a notification on your phone so you don’t forget, or pair your gratitude time with a daily rhythm. For example, speak your words of gratitude when you wake up before getting out of bed, or say what you’re grateful for at night before falling asleep.
If you’re having a hard time thinking of things you can be grateful for, I have a free gratitude list you can check out. It highlights 25 things you can be grateful for. Hopefully it will help you to think of some things you can be grateful for.
Now, as you finish reading this post, remember to take a moment to pause, breathe, hope, and heal.
If you would like to see if we would be a good therapeutic fit, schedule a free 20-minute consultation by clicking the button below.
