© 2023 Rachel L. Shumate | All rights reserved.
Want to be happier? A little less stressed? Maybe be more present in your day-to-day life? Or perhaps you simply want to be fuming less…? I have just the thing! And no; it’s not intoxication of any kind. (Though a glass of wine certainly doesn’t hurt.) Nope. No tricks or gimmicks – just gratitude. Don’t worry; I’m not going to be all cheesy and say you’ll be high on life or anything, but I’m willing to bet it will drastically improve your mood over time.
It’s science… Studies show that you can actually rewire your brain to be happier by developing an attitude of gratitude. Now, I’m certainly no scientist, therapist, or guru, but I have used this method in my own life and I can tell you that it does indeed do wonders for your perspective. I picked up this handy habit at a point in my life when I was more or less unhappy on a daily basis. There were a lot of variables that contributed to this, because life is kinda messy like that, but switching my focus helped me considerably. It got me out of my funk and into my life – which I desperately needed. And you guessed it, I’m quite thankful for that, haha.
It’s super simple. At the end of each day, reflect on what you have to be thankful for. That’s it! You can do this by keeping a gratitude journal, or do a mental list and tick things off on your fingers. (Extra awesome if you need to use both hands to keep track.) Obviously, you can list such things like your loved ones and the roof over your head. However, also make note of the small stuff too. When you start noticing and giving thanks for all that you have, and are, your perspective shifts and life gets lighter.
In fact, I also say thank you for random and tiny things throughout my day. For instance, before my feet hit the floor in the morning, I say “thank you” for another day and a chance to try again. When a car unexpectedly pulls out in front of me and I hit the brakes in time, I breathe a very relieved “thank you.” When something even remotely awesome happens, I sometimes combine my “thank you” with a happy dance. Or when I trip over my enormous cat and land on the couch instead of the floor (sparing myself a broken leg and dead kitty), I say “thank you.” You get the idea…
The point is to be mindful throughout your day. If you don’t already practice daily gratitude, I hope you give it a try. You might be surprised at all the things you start to notice.
🙂
PS: I’m currently in the process of publishing a journal that I designed after my own style which I have developed and tweaked over the years. And a gratitude section is certainly included. Stay tuned…
PPS: I’m in no way trying to push toxic positivity. I absolutely understand that folks who suffer from mental illness cannot simply “look on the bright side” and to even make such a suggestion (which unfortunately happens often), is highly insulting. So, if you feel that you could benefit from professional help, I encourage you to please seek it; and know that my heart goes out to you.
