For this month’s mindfulness challenge, gratitude seemed like an especially appropriate intention. Focusing on gratitude can be beneficial in SO many ways and I am really looking forward to spending on it during the one month challenge. There are too many benefits of gratitude to put in a short list, so I will highlight a few.
Benefits of a Gratitude Practice
- Practicing gratitude can help us feel happier. Focusing on the positive is simple but can create a more optimistic mindset and increase overall long-term happiness. As an added bonus, this can also help boost our self-esteem and reduce stress.
- Gratitude can also help our relationships. When we are grateful for others, it helps us to connect to them in a positive way, cultivate friendships and increase social support.
How to Begin a Gratitude Practice
I find it best to focus on an intention using easy, effective and enjoyable action items. For this month, I have three simple action items, including a movement of the month.
Movement of the Month:
- Take a gratitude walk. A gratitude walk is a great way to clear the mind and shift to a mindset of gratitude. This can be done anywhere for any amount of time. While walking, be aware of your surroundings – notice what you see, hear, smell and feel as you walk. Next, be aware of what you have NOT been noticing – maybe some beautiful flowers, the color of the sky, the smell of fresh air, the warmth of the sun or a cooling breeze. Allow the walk to help foster feelings of both gratitude and joy for the world around us, even the tiny details that we may not notice otherwise.
Other Action Items:
- Keep a gratitude journal. Once a day, take a moment to write down some things that you are thankful for in a journal. This does not need to be very detailed; a simple sentence or a few bullet points are plenty to bring awareness to what we are grateful for. A gratitude journal is also a great resource to have on hand to lift your spirits when needed; sometimes it is really nice to flip through a read past entries when you need a quick pick-me-up. (You can also use your journal to jot down anything that you notice during your gratitude walk!)
- Send a thank you note. Think of someone who you appreciate or has recently done something kind for you and mail them a thank you note! Taking a moment to write a note of gratitude is quick and simple but can be really meaningful. It is easy to have the intention of saying thank you and never getting to it, but it feels so good to be mindful and focus on gratitude while writing the note. If you don’t have any notecards, you can certainly send a nice text or email, but it is nice to have a set of thank you notes on hand so they are at the ready when you need one!
Quotes on Gratitude
I love having some inspiration on hand when needed, so I usually prep for a new month with some relevant quotes. These are a great pick-me-up when I need to shift my mindset. I keep them handy in my phone or sometimes on some post it notes in places where they will be viewed frequently. Here are a few of my favorites regarding gratitude:
- “Walking is man’s best medicine.” – Hippocrates
- “Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” – Voltaire
- “When eating fruit, remember the one who planted the tree.” – Vietnamese proverb
- “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” – G.K. Chesterton
Lastly, here is a quick video regarding this month’s intention:
Thank you so much for joining on this challenge – I hope you have a wonderful month full of gratitude!