Thank You

It is not happiness which brings us gratitude, it is gratitude which brings us happiness. Gratitude is like a magnet, the more grateful you are, the more you will receive to be grateful. The benefits gratitude can bring you are endless. It's proven that those who express their grace are happier, sleep better, are kinder and even have better immune systems! Here are someways I discovered to help me on my gratitude journey.

1. Gratitude Journal

The best way to express your gratitude is through, well, expressing it! There are many different ways in which you can illustrate how grateful you are. I use a gratitude journal to recall 5-10 things I am grateful for every day. The secret to gratitude journaling is depth over breadth; studies show that those who express greater gratitude for a small number of things rather than little gratitude for a lot of things, are happier. Try and be specific, rather than writing that you are grateful for your family everyday, pick a specific moment that you experienced that day of which you are grateful, for example, 'I am grateful that my sister did my ironing today'. Through doing this you will increase your present awareness and notice more thing of which you are grateful for. You can use an old copy, a voice recorder app or the notes section on your phone. Alternatively, I printed off these mini gratitude posties and stuck them into random pages of my normal diary for days when I don't feel like journaling twice.

2. Affirmations

I once read that the words 'I AM' are the most powerful words in the world as what you put after them shapes your reality. You believe what you tell yourself! Begin each day with a grateful heart. When you wakeup each morning, look in the mirror and repeat the words 'I am grateful'. You may not believe what you speak but your mind is listening and so is the universe. The vibes you exclaim are the vibes you will inevitably reclaim. I plan on doing a post on positive affirmations and their benefits in the future.

3. Secret Symbol

A good method I use to practice gratitude is through secret symbols. I used to keep 'gratitude rocks' in my pencil case and every time I looked at them I would recall one thing I am grateful for. You could use a bracelet, pen, your screensaver or anything as your secret gratitude symbol. Every time you see it, it will act as a reminder to count your blessings.

4. Routine

Alternatively, another way you can incorporate gratitude into your daily life is through making it part of your daily routine. I was once advised to carry out one ritual with complete awareness and mindfulness everyday. I decided to also adapt this idea for expressing gratitude. Every time I brush my teeth I mentally list things I am grateful for. You could incorporate this into your routine in many different ways; go on a gratitude walk, have a gratitude bath, drink a cup of gratitude tea!

5. Silver Linings

'Every cloud has a silver lining'. No matter how dark or dreary your present moment may seem, there is always something to be grateful for. Even if you can not see it now, your pain has positivity. You can introduce gratitude in perhaps the most powerful way through negative experiences, during or after they occur. It doesn't have to be awfully traumatic, it can be something as simple as having to park your car in the space furthest from the shop...'I am grateful I have legs to walk the rest of the way, I am grateful I have a car to drive me here, I am grateful I have money to buy things, I am grateful.' Notice how this will begin to transform your perspective, your thoughts and your smile!

6. Reflection

Everything you have gone through has brought you to where you are today. Take time to reflect on all that you have in your life. Your life may not be perfect, you may feel you are in lack but in reality you are exactly where you are meant to be. 'Maktub', an ancient Arabic alchemist proverb encompassing destiny, literally translates 'it was written'. What if our whole life was in fact written in the stars, if everything was indeed happening for a reason and if we knew that in the end, it would all be OK? Perhaps we would recognise life as a gift, enjoying and accepting the journey (both the up and the downs) more. Reflect on your chosen path, look at how every little moment has made you into the amazingly, beautiful person you are today. Out of all the trillions and billions of cells in the universe, a collection were perfectly formed together to create YOU! You get to experience humanity, you get to breathe, think, see, hear, love. Through every hardship, every difficulty and every seemingly insurmountable mountain, you survived, you overcame and you conquered. You are alive and you are you. There is nothing more you could want; we are born with nothing, we die with nothing; life is the gift. 

Something to remember with practicing gratitude is to hold awareness for any guilt appearing. Recently I found myself becoming so upset at how selfish I thought I was, there are people out there with nothing yet here I am still finding fault in my own life. We could be fleeing civil war in Syria but instead we're worrying about how many likes our Instagrams get. It was pointed out to me that others' suffering does not undermine or discredit your own. An illness is an illness, suffering is suffering. You may have a broken leg, expressing gratitude for your leg will hopefully increase your happiness but you will still have a broken leg. This applies to all other hardships and aspects of your life. Gratitude can however give you a clearer mind and a more proactive mindset to help you take action towards healing your 'broken leg'.

I am grateful for YOU.

I am so thankful that you took the time out to read this. What is one thing you are grateful for today? Comment below how you express your gratitude. You can subscribe to my blog below through typing in your email address. Please leave any suggestions or questions below in the comments section or anonymously in the ASK section of my blog. Click here to subscribe to my newsletter for updates on new blog posts. I hope you enjoyed!

lots of love & peace & happiness

Lauren x