Tonight I did a show about Gratitude on BBC Radio. It struck me that during these difficult times gratitude can really turn our attitudes and lives around. Here are my Top 5 Tips you can do every day to foster an attitude of gratitude in your life:
1) Every morning when you wake up, simply say to yourself “Thank you for another day”. I always remind myself that just getting out of bed is a privilege and everything else that follows is a bonus.
2) When you have any emotions that derive from fear (including worry, stress, anxiety, frustration, guilt) stop yourself in your tracks and think of three things you are grateful for, then notice how different you suddenly feel. I learnt quickly that fear and gratitude cannot co-exist in the same moment. This is one of the most powerful tools you can use.
3) If you feel it, say it! William Arthur Ward said “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a Christmas present and not giving it”. (By the way, thank you for reading my blog :-))
4) Do something to serve someone else. Often when we don’t have enough gratitude in our life and are wrapped up in our own little world of problems, it’s because we don’t spent enough time with other less fortunate than ourselves. They have so much to teach us.
5) Keep a Gratitude Journal by your bedside. Before you go to sleep write down five things you are grateful for in your life. Why before bed? I’ve found one bonus is your quality of sleep improves, especially as scientists say you dream about the last thing you think about before nodding off.
(As an experiment, every now and again flick back through the pages of your journal and notice how few entries are linked to material things you have!)
Thank you and sleep well!
