How to like more out of your life and feel in charge of it.
A lot of people talk about gratitude and how powerful it is, but sometimes it can be hard to find things that we are grateful for that feel authentic and genuine, not contrived and forced. Being grateful means being mindful of who you are and what is around you, so that you can appreciate what is in your life. When you give yourself intentional time to reflect and have an honest conversation with yourself about who you are and what you are putting into your life, identifying what you genuinely like becomes a little easier and more clear. Acknowledging what is in your life can help you feel fulfilled, relieved, understood, motivated and energized.
Gratitude can look like: being proud that you made it into work because getting out of bed was a struggle this morning, appreciating that you get Chick Fil A for lunch because its your favorite and it is nice to have something to look forward to, or even feeling loved and missed by the warm, wet kisses from your dog when you walk in the door. Gratitude can be big and small, it is what you make it. Challenge yourself to find more fulfillment from your life by digging into what is around you; instead of seeing what your life isn't, try to see more of what your life already is.
Gratitude takes practice. By consistently reminding ourselves to tap into our reality and who we are, the work of being grateful becomes more natural and routine.
There are many ways to work on your attitude of gratitude:
Create Visual Reminders: Seeing inspirational quotes around you will allow you to be more conscious about what you could be thankful for and what you want to connect with in your life. You can hang a quote on your bedroom wall, use a inspirational mug to drink out of everyday, put a quote on your phone lock screen wallpaper or even set an alarm with some affirmations that help put you in a positive space throughout the day.
Write it Down: Putting your thoughts on paper can help increase your awareness of feelings of gratitude. Writing down what you want to be thinking and feeling can help reinforce the practice of positive/realistic self talk. Creating a gratitude journal is a great way to hold yourself accountable to a routine of intentional reflection.
Focusing on the Present: Take a minute to slow down and refocus on what is around you. You can practice some grounding: ask yourself what you smell, see, taste, feel, hear. This practice in mindfulness allows us to plug into what is actually going on in our reality, versus getting swept away by what is going on in our head. Being present sets the stage for absorbing what we want in our life, even the small things that are around us in that exact moment.
These are just a few ways that you can work on making gratitude a bigger part of your life. Find ways that feel best for you and incorporate them into your daily life. Working on your attitude of gratitude can increase your personal mental health and help you carry around a more positive perspective on your life.
If you want more support with connecting with yourself and mind, we would love to help! To schedule an appointment or consultation call 832-966-0214 and/or email: admin@houstonfeelgoodtherapy.com.