If you are serious about improving your quality of life, gratitude is a significant element, and I don’t just mean on Thanksgiving. Gratitude is the comforting emotional response towards the world as well as the people and experiences that we encounter in our lives. There is also deep
reverence and an understanding that everything in the present moment is happening exactly as it should.
I view these moments and feelings as true alignment with my spiritual self, the universe, and manifestations. Meaning, there is an awareness that I am in the perfect mental and emotional space to choose how I feel towards myself and others regardless of the situation. A knowing that
however, I choose to feel at any moment that has the biggest impact on my own mental and emotional body.
As noted by The Chopra Center, “If you want more happiness, joy and energy, gratitude is clearly a crucial quality to cultivate. It is a fullness of heart that moves from limitation and fear to expansion and love. When we’re appreciating something, our ego moves out of the way and we connect with our soul. Gratitude brings our attention into the present, which is the only place where miracles can unfold. The deeper our appreciation, the more we see with the eyes of the soul and the more our life flows in harmony with the creative power of the universe.” (Chopra Center, 2012) In understanding the power of simply saying “Thank You,” why wouldn’t this be something that we express every single day? Here are a few simple ways that I incorporate gratitude into my daily routine
Morning Affirmations
Whether you have a journal or keep notes in your phone, I find it most effective to state morning affirmations as soon as I open my eyes, before opening social media or any other distractions. Say them out loud or to yourself. The idea is that I am setting the mood for my day, nothing or
no one else.
Listen While You Move
YouTube has several affirmations. I listen to my favorites while getting dressed for the day, right before I start work while driving in my car, or just when I feel I need to raise my vibration. This works for me because it helps me with anxious or nervous energy I may experience throughout
the day.
Sleep Affirmations
Sleep affirmations are wonderful because I can listen before or during meditation or literally fall asleep listening to them. Sleep affirmations work for me because I receive a lot of divine guidance through my dreams. Listening to these affirmations also relaxes me after a long day.
The best way to express more gratitude is to do it in a way that works best for you. It’s been said that it only takes 21 days to form a new habit. Recent studies suggest, “It can take anywhere from 18 to 254 days for a person to form a new habit and an average of 66 days for a new
behavior to become automatic.” (Frothingham, 2019) As humans, we spend a lot of time forming
negative habits, let’s use the same energy to simply say, “Thank You.”
Resources:
Cultivate the Healing Power of Gratitude. (2012, November 04). Retrieved November 01, 2020, from https://chopra.com/articles/cultivate-the-healing-power-of-gratitude
Frothingham, S. (2019, October 24). How Long Does It Actually Take to Form A New Habit?
Retrieved November 01, 2020, from https://www.healthline.com/health/how-long-does-it-
take-to-form-a-habit