And Still More Practice
Today I am grateful for pizza-one of my favorite foods. I am also grateful for the many ideas on how to practice gratitude that I have picked up from others over the years or created myself.
Praying on my knees. Keeping a gratitude journal. This blog. These are my consistent gratitude practices and they are very valuable to me. The dividends they pay in energy and serenity are immeasurable.
But here are some other practices that I sometimes use as well:
*Doing an A-Z gratitude list on my commute or while exercising.
*Doing a 3 x 3 > 9 (3 things I am grateful for and 3 reasons why for each. That is at least a list of 12 and I often end up with more.)
*Taking a gratitude walk or run. While moving just trying to be more aware of my physical capabilites, or the sights and sounds of nature, or clearing my thoughts out as I go, or picking one sense to focus in on, or all of the above.
*Sharing gratitude texts with a friend. She usually starts it by texting what she is grateful for today. I respond with something I am grateful for. A little gratitude accountability.
*I have a small sign on my desk at work. It says "1-5, #6." It is to remind me of priorities and my key sources of gratitude: family, friends, recovery/faith, running, writing. It keeps work (#6) in the right perspective.
*Pausing during the day to breathe in and out a couple times and to be grateful for that breath and that present moment.
*A new idea I just heard from my sister Aileen-"Take 5." Stop. Pause. List 5 things I am grateful for.Repeat as needed. Thanks Aileen!
The key for me is that I don't just think about being grateful, I act on it. That is how it works best for me.
How about you? I would love to hear more ideas on how to practice gratitude.
Praying on my knees. Keeping a gratitude journal. This blog. These are my consistent gratitude practices and they are very valuable to me. The dividends they pay in energy and serenity are immeasurable.
But here are some other practices that I sometimes use as well:
*Doing an A-Z gratitude list on my commute or while exercising.
*Doing a 3 x 3 > 9 (3 things I am grateful for and 3 reasons why for each. That is at least a list of 12 and I often end up with more.)
*Taking a gratitude walk or run. While moving just trying to be more aware of my physical capabilites, or the sights and sounds of nature, or clearing my thoughts out as I go, or picking one sense to focus in on, or all of the above.
*Sharing gratitude texts with a friend. She usually starts it by texting what she is grateful for today. I respond with something I am grateful for. A little gratitude accountability.
*I have a small sign on my desk at work. It says "1-5, #6." It is to remind me of priorities and my key sources of gratitude: family, friends, recovery/faith, running, writing. It keeps work (#6) in the right perspective.
*Pausing during the day to breathe in and out a couple times and to be grateful for that breath and that present moment.
*A new idea I just heard from my sister Aileen-"Take 5." Stop. Pause. List 5 things I am grateful for.Repeat as needed. Thanks Aileen!
The key for me is that I don't just think about being grateful, I act on it. That is how it works best for me.
How about you? I would love to hear more ideas on how to practice gratitude.
Hi Lisa, it's been a while since I visited - been too busy with work and life and all the other day-to-day nonsense that distracts me from creating and connecting :-o
ReplyDeleteI saw an old friend last weekend and I told him about you and your gratitude practice. He said "oh yeah, I do that"! Cool, I thought.
Nice to hear from you. Day-to-day nonsense can swallow up day-to-day joys can't it? There is such value in the pausing in gratefulness. Thanks for stopping by!
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