The beginning of a New Year is an interesting time for everyone. Some of us are excited with high energy, planning our rebirths and new goals. Others may be struggling with a deep focus on all the missed goals and negative feelings about not accomplishing what we set out to do. While many others will fall somewhere in the middle.
Regardless of where you fall on the happiness scale right now, you can add gratitude to your life. Gratitude will immediately change your mood, mindset, and how things manifest for you in life. Getting started with gratitude means (if you haven’t before) becoming intentional about taking time to focus on the things in your life that you are grateful for. It is tough to feel stuck, sad, or worse while also expressing gratitude. That is why gratitude is the perfect place to start when addressing anything internally or externally in life. Gratitude puts you in a better headspace and allows you to gain perspective that our lived experiences might influence in a not-so-good way.
Thank Your Past
It is very easy to look back and think of all the shots you missed, goals you never hit, and milestones you didn’t cross, but can you look back and remember the things you overcame. I love the phrase “don’t look back because you aren’t going that way” because it reminds me to keep pressing forward and not become overly consumed with the past. With that said, I think it is necessary to look back when you need to remind yourself how far you have come. Showing gratitude for your past is powerful. Thanking the experiences that challenged and changed you helps you genuinely grasp how amazing you are. It’s perfect for times when you are feeling down or less than. The pain you once felt is gone; that old wound has healed, and while your life in the present isn’t perfect, it’s a progression, and you should have no regrets about that.
Thank Your Body
I have a mother with diabetes and an aunt with lupus, so trust me when I say, “I understand the negative feelings that can arise when looking at our bodies that don’t look how we want them to look or perform how we would hope.” Shaun T takes people on physical transformation journeys every day. Still, that change is not rooted in rejecting your physical appearance or disrespecting your body. Your body is the only one you have. Even if you aren’t at the physical level you want or look what you may see as “more attractive,” your body consistently works for you, allowing you to live your life as you wish. Yes, there is room for improvement, but let’s start with showing gratitude to our bodies and not overly obsessing over the ones we want. Truth be told, the body you want is on the way, but it will never arrive without gratitude and a bit of hard work. It is so easy for us to fall into problematic mindsets of comparison in the digital age. Still, you can choose today to focus on the body you are in right now and thank it. Thank your eyes, mouth, nose, heart, etc. Thank your body for digesting the food you eat. Thank your senses for alerting you of danger or when you are safe. Yes, literally point out parts of YOU and say thank you. It is a gratitude practice that is very practical and powerful.
Thank Your Environment
Many of us are not living in our dream mansions or cozy countryside villas. Still, there are parts of your house, neighborhood, and even your office that make you feel good and give you energy. Take time to connect with yourself in those spaces and thank them. I have a local park that I love taking my dog to, and I regularly thank the trees, grass, and sun while there for being a space where both Cole and I can feel free, happy, and breathe deeply. It might sound a bit airy and random, but this gratitude practice will instantly adjust any mood and put a smile on your face.
Thank Your People
We all need somebody, it could be a friend, family member, or co-worker. If you feel like a person is in your corner, thank them. The people who allow you to feel heard because they actually listen when you talk, thank them. The people who make you feel smart, thank them. The people who push you to be your best self, thank them. The people who help you feel loved, thank them. Yes, we need to show ourselves gratitude, and another just as powerful practice is articulating our appreciation to our tribe. That practice has a double positive effect as you will feel great for saying it. Often, your people will feel amazeballs as they receive it.
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