November is a season of change, slowing down, reflection, renewal, and giving thanks.
As the weather gets cooler and the busy holidays approach, I’m reminded of those times that I take for granted.
I’m thinking of the little things that make such a huge impact on my daily life, like getting to bed by a decent hour, preparing & eating a simple lunch, reading a magazine, having a good laugh with a friend, or taking a stroll through my neighborhood.
I know that it won’t solve all the problems in the world, but gratitude helps you shift into a positive mindset and pay this feeling forward to others.
It feels so good when you can remember the things you’re grateful for. It feels just as good when you make gratitude a simple practice every day.
1. Start A Gratitude Journal.
I challenged myself for a month once to write down 7 things that I was grateful for each day in a journal.
Surprisingly, I found that I was most grateful for the small things in my life that I took for granted, like getting up in the morning, drinking my cup of coffee, and even washing the dishes. I even looked forward to writing in my journal every day. Being grateful for just one thing each day was enough to shift my mindset.
A gratitude journal is an easy habit to start. You can begin by writing down just one thing you are grateful for each day.
Set aside some time every day to write one thing you’re grateful for. Don’t filter or judge what you write.
Describe your emotions and observe if there are any changes in the way you think and feel. When the 30 days are over, go back and look at what you wrote to see if there are any emotional or mental shifts.
2. Do A Random Act Of Kindness.
Did you know that World Kindness Week occurs every second week of November?
I did a random act of kindness challenge for a month and discovered a couple of things.
I found that kindness requires some courage if you want to be intentional about it and it doesn’t take much to be kind to others or yourself.
It can make a huge difference in someone’s day and in the way you feel about yourself. Here are some acts of kindness you can try for yourself:
- Say hello to your mailman or the cashier at your local grocery store.
- Smile at a stranger and ask, “How are you?”
- Send someone you know a positive note.
- Express gratitude to someone or write down something you’re grateful for.
- Give a friend a hug or a pat on the back.
3. Slow Down.
Life is full of schedules, to-do lists, and distractions. When you’re busy, it makes it easy to overlook the things that give it meaning.
Slowing down can help you cultivate gratitude by bringing your attention to the present moment. When you slow down, you notice things that normally fly under your radar, you become more appreciative of what you have, and you feel more connected to yourself & those around you.
Slowing down doesn’t mean you have to take a vacation to some far away, exotic place. You can slow down while you’re working or at any point during your day.
4. Practice Self-Compassion.
Self-compassion is a great way to practice gratitude every day. I used to criticize myself all the time and it not only made me feel bad, it added other bad feelings on top of what I was already feeling.
Self-compassion is an act of love for yourself. When you have self-compassion, you accept all parts of you, even the so-called “bad” ones.
It broadens and builds, according to Barbara Fredrickson, more positive emotions such as gratitude, joy, and interest.
5. Go On A Gratitude Nature Walk.
The Greater Good Education Program teaches kids the Gratitude Nature Walk. Children are taught how to bring awareness to their environment and notice what they are grateful for.
They walk slowly in silence and write 3 things they are thankful for while using their senses. The kids are given instructions on how to observe their surroundings and their feelings. Then they share with their classmates how it felt to practice gratitude in the natural world.
Being exposed to nature and gratitude helped the children improve attention, self-discipline, cognitive development, sleep, and lower blood pressure. This fosters a life-long habit of spending time in nature and cultivating an attitude of gratitude.
Final Thoughts On Simple Gratitude Practices.
Expressing gratitude can be beneficial to your overall wellbeing. You can practice every day in simple ways, such as writing a gratitude journal, doing a random act of kindness, slowing down, practicing self-compassion, or taking a gratitude nature walk. When was the last time you expressed gratitude? Let me know in the comments!
More Ways To Practice Gratitude.
If you want some tips to start a gratitude journal practice, be sure to read: Gratitude journal: tips to help you succeed.
If you want to take a deeper dive into what gratitude is and how it can improve your life, check out: Grateful vs Thankful: What They Are and How They Differ.