"GRATITUDE PUTS YOU IN THE MINDSET THAT EVERY DAY IS A GIFT." ~ ERON FLEMONS
Sometimes, especially in a world that seems upside down, it’s hard to see the good that’s all around you or what your impact for good can be. If you can’t shake the overwhelm, or you’d love a good dose of optimism, creating a daily gratitude habit is a perfect tool.
Each morning I’ve found that taking a few moments to brainstorm things I am grateful for brings clarity and focus to what matters most. It’s been a calming habit for me.
Don’t miss this post on creating a daily gratitude habit and why it can help you have a better day. You’ll not only have a plan to make it a daily habit, but you’ll be motivated by understanding all the benefits this simple exercise holds.
The benefits of daily gratitude habits
It’s a small habit with big benefits!
At first, you might consider creating a morning gratitude habit as just another task for your daily to-do list. In the past, I’ve struggled with that idea many times. I believed creating habits like this would be helpful, but there are always so many other things that demand my attention.
After trusting the “experts” and giving it a go, I realized how easy it’s been to spend just a few more moments thinking about what I am grateful for as part of my regular morning routine. I’ve also seen how it’s greatly supported setting my mindset for the rest of the day.
Below I’ll share a few more benefits I’ve discovered, but first, here’s what science has to say and why it’s worth our time to build the habit every day.
According to science, gratefulness will:
- create happiness
- boost your positive emotions
- build your self-esteem
- enhance your relationships
- increase decision making ability
- lower stress and depression
- improve your overall health
I've discovered--
1. I can regulate my emotions better. Whenever I’m getting frustrated, upset, worried, overwhelmed, annoyed, or plain grumpy and worn out, thinking of all the good things in my life helps me overcome these feelings.
2. I am more aware of all the little blessings throughout the day. Knowing I will be checking in with myself again tomorrow, I watch for things to be grateful for.
3. It slows me down to remember all the good that the last day held. I take a little more time in the moments to enjoy the pleasure of the tiny blessings.
Examples from my own list--
I'm grateful for...
- Spending time with my kids, talking about their day and the funny stories they have to tell.
- Quiet time alone to read, take a long bath, sit on the back deck in the evening, or experience a calm moment.
- Opening a new journal, starting fresh with new goals and activities ahead.
- My new espresso recipe, and enjoying it on a weekend morning with a new book.
You might be thinking about the things you’re grateful for, but you’ve often taken them for granted or don’t usually take a moment to appreciate them before moving on?
I have found it to be an enormous motivation to keep this gratitude habit consistent and to make another little part of my gratitude habit reading what I’ve written a year or two ago in past journals. It’s quite a reminder of how beautiful life really is.
What could your list look like?
What are the things you are grateful for today?
The remarkable thing is — this isn’t for anyone else to read. It doesn’t matter if it doesn’t contain carefully constructed words or is written in your best handwriting.
It can be written anywhere, but I love to have it in a notebook or gratitude journal. This helps keep these thoughts safely in a place I can read at a future date. Although I am intentional about writing what I am grateful for in the mornings, I’ve learned to keep my journal with me throughout the day. If the moment strikes me, I’ll write it out right then. I don’t want to miss archiving something special or risk forgetting about it later because I couldn’t easily access my journal.
How to create a daily gratitude habit:
- Find the perfect journal: writing it down is an ideal way to archive your gratitude habits. (Another bonus? Reading through your journal can be a powerful reminder and mood enhancer anytime you’re feeling low.–here’s what I use to journal/plan)
- Pick the time of day you prefer to journal. Maybe you prefer mornings like me. This helps to set your mindset for the day. Whatever time you choose, make it consistent.
- Create a journaling trigger that will remind you. When creating this gratitude habit for myself, I liked to place my journal by my bathroom sink. This is the first place I visit each morning to brush my teeth, so it was a trigger that reminded me to journal. (check out how my morning routine has evolved into a powerful momentum day builder)
- Start small. Focus on finding one thing to write out that you are grateful for between when you wake up in the morning and when you are winding down for the evening.
For days when you can't think of anything
That's okay!
However, there are many ideas to create momentum. One idea I particularly love is to think about something simple. I often think about something I would miss today if I didn’t have it. One item I don’t think about often but would miss if it were unavailable is — toothpaste. I am actually grateful for toothpaste some days. Can I live without it? I guess I could learn to, but I am thankful I don’t have to.😊
Remember, there are no right or wrong answers, only how you feel. It can be challenging to start, but I want to assure you that you will be glad you did!
So, push all those worries aside and take a moment just for yourself. I’ve created a simple list for the days it’s a little more difficult.
I have taken this list and printed it out, and placed it in my journal cover pocket for easy access. Please feel free to do the same!😊
