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Expressing gratitude begins with the acknowledgment of what we have is enough. Busy-ness is endemic of the world today, thanks to always being accessible by mobile and computer, and coming from a culture which has for a couple of decades or more, extolled the virtues of ‘multi-tasking’ in the pursuit of perfection.
While digital technology has helped us grow, it has also added to the subliminal ‘noise’ we are bombarded with on all sides—often without our permission.
It’s easy to lose track of all the things we have to be truly grateful for.
Reconnect with what Matters
Meditation is a wonderful way to reconnect with that stillness and silence our minds that are normally so busy with the chatter of emotions, tasks, reactions, memories and anticipation!
Focus on Your Breathing
Sit nice and tall, shoulders back, in a relaxed position.
Breathe in through your nose, all the while counting slowly to four.
Hold your breath, counting slowly to four.
Breathe out through your mouth, counting slowly to four.
Repeat.
To learn the basics of deep meditation breathing, visit CureJoy.com and read 4 Breathing Exercises for Beginners: Air Out Your Stress, by Vinaya Saunders.
Find your “Word”
A mantra in this case is not a branding catchword or slogan: It’s a just a word you repeat to yourself over and over, to shut out the mind-chatter. You can use any word— some expamples include:
Calm
Peace
Love
Bliss
Safe
Hope
Happy
Be Mindful
Pay attention to your thoughts
Pay attention to the people around you
Pay attention to your surroundings
Pay attention to opportunities for gratitude
Mindfulness teaches us gratitude. Even if you don’t feel particularly happy—even if you express your gratitude cynically, at first—do it anyway for twenty-one days. We grow when we are grateful!
Be Healthy
Eat more greens and fresh fruit
Get enough sleep
Drink more water, less alcohol and caffeine
Exercise EVERY day
Gratitude as a VERB
Living in gratitude takes action on our part. We need to:
Make a conscious decision to embrace
Actively and deliberately put into practice
Explore what is going on in our minds and bodies
Living with gratitude is life-changing; gratitude balances the mind-body connection and helps you identify the values in which to build your life.
Let’s GET this STARTED
Cultivating gratitude is both an art and a skill. Imagine how you will feel when you gain the ability to self-generate feelings of gratitude and happiness on command! This is the beginning.