A few months back, my mental health took a dive.
I love my full life, my job, and my growing family. But I felt stuck. I was only seeing the negative in my daily routine. Things like to-do lists, cranky kids, and my tired body took center stage.
And I found it difficult to find the small good in my daily life, (even if I intellectually knew I was blessed). Of course, in this state, stress and anxiety were able to become the default – therefore creating a vicious cycle.
After some time, I knew I had to make changes in order to be happier. So, I read and researched. I experimented. I tried dozens of gratitude exercises. And in the end, a few quick and easy gratitude activities remained as habits that I could keep long term.
Is Gratitude the Missing Piece?
First, LOTS of research supports the astonishing benefits of gratitude. Appreciating the positive reduces materialism, enhances generosity, and lowers stress and depression. You will increase your wellbeing with this ONE thing!
Those are pretty hefty benefits for just a few minutes a day!
Now, there are many different ways to increase your gratitude to see results. Yet, gratitude journaling has been easiest for most (and me) to stick to.
So, here are three journaling practices I LOVE that have boosted how I feel.
- 3 things I am grateful for in the morning
- Gratitude affirmations
- 3 good things that happened to me today
3 Things I’m Grateful For
Writing 3 good things every morning sets a beautiful tone for the day. It forces you out of a bad mood if that’s how you woke up as well.
Switch it up daily and soon you’ll see a gratitude list that makes you feel upbeat and energized to start your morning.
Affirmations to Write
As for the affirmations, I write them in my journal or say them aloud daily or weekly. Things like…
“I am grateful to start another day full of opportunity.”
“I am grateful for the support I receive from those I love.”
“I am thankful for my kids, for teaching me patience and unconditional love.”
Often, more than anything else, they help me get out of my own head, and see my blessings in a different light. When I’m really feeling stuck, it’s usually the affirmations that pull me out of it.
3 Good Things That Happened to Me
Finally, before you close your eyes for the evening, record three great things about your day. Perhaps it was just the weather and a good cup of tea. It doesn’t always have to be magnificent.
What I found with this exercise, is that with consistency, you begin to find the good as you go about your day. In turn, this hardwires you to be more optimistic and appreciative of the small moments that are truly breathtaking. This practice alone has been worth its weight in gold.
In Conclusion
There you have it! 3 very simple activities!
Of everything I tried, these three things are what made the largest impact in my daily attitude and perspective. And the thing is, all of these activities take a total of three minutes a day. That’s hardly any time at all to feel so much happier.
What about you? Could you do one of these simple actions to increase your wellbeing today?
(Remember: Start with one and START SMALL. Going easy and building make it MUCH more likely you’ll keep the habit.)
Gratitude is the sweetest thing in a seekers life – in all human life. If there is gratitude in your heart, then there will be tremendous sweetness in your eyes.”
-Sri Chinmoy