Park down the street from my home in Brazil where I walked myself into positivity and gratitude countless times.
Since I read Pollyanna when I was a teenager and thought her glad game was awesome and I should definitely try and play it, I have been drawn to the concept of gratitude as a tool and mindset that makes my life happier.
Whenever I’m feeling down, I turn to gratitude.
I list (mentally or on a sheet of paper) everything that I am grateful for in my life or in that particular moment. It’s more than just seeing the bright side of everything, it’s a deep understanding that you have more to be happy about than your worries and obsessions try to hide.
Last week I was reading The work we were born to do, by Nick Williams (it’s an awesome book and I’ll come back to talk about it) and he hit the spot again.
If you don’t have the habit of making a gratitude list and don’t know where to start, reflect on this:
- How are you blessed by nature? How much beauty is there around you, how much life is going on all the time?
- Who likes, cares for or loves you?
- Which experiences have been most important to you?
- Which people have been the most strong loving influences in your life?
- Do you have a home? Consider every single possession you have, that you have a bed.
- What countries have you visited?
- What are your favorite tastes? And smells?
- What skills and qualities have you developed through work?
- What meaning and purpose does work give you?
- If you are unemployed, what are the benefits of being unemployed?
- Can you walk, see, talk, smell, taste?
- What skills and talents do you have?
(The work we were born to do, pages 100-101)
I personally like to sit quiet, close my eyes and think about my family, my love, all the places I’ve been, people I’ve met, all the work I’ve done, the value I added to people’s lives and vice-versa, the comfortable bed and roof over my head, the yummy food I just had or will have, my health, my skills, nature and peace around me, my strength and courage and so it goes… It grounds me back to self-confidence and love, peace of mind and inspiration. It makes me stop feeling sorry for myself or obsessed that things aren’t working the way they should.
How about you? Do you have a gratitude practice? Are you going to try it today?
How about you? Do you have a gratitude practice? Are you going to try it today?
