As another Thanksgiving rolls by, this here is a beautiful recipe I found during my random google searches:
A generous cup of Blessings
A tablespoon of Reflection
A handful of Memories together
A good helping of Hugs & Laughter
A pint of time with Family & Friends
Mix with Love and Forgiveness
Shake it all up & serve with Gratitude as your main course.
Though I always believe that holding hands and going round the table, giving lip-service to things that you are thankful for, can NEVER be enough…C’mon! One day of the year for such a powerful process?!
I have always retained that if there are two magic wands that you can use to sprinkle pixie dust in your life, it’s Gratitude & Forgiveness…both of which become especially important when family members press each other’s buttons as they are wont to do!
Why not make Gratitude a daily process? If you make this emotion a part of your daily life, it’s extremely powerful. It’s going to help your mind, your body, your relationships, your career and even your wallet.
So often we can be so laser-focused on what we want or what we don’t have, we totally neglect to appreciate what we do have. Don’t feel guilty—we all fall victim to this ungrateful attitude. So here’s one of my favourite tools to tip the happiness scales. I like to call this my Sunshine Project.
This is what you do. Get a glass jar. And everyday, on separate slips of paper, write down all the nice things that happened to you that day:
You made it to work on time? Write that down
Your friend told you a hilarious joke and you laughed till you cried? Write that down
Your morning cup of coffee was perfect? Write it.
Your kid hugged you tight? Write it.
Your partner and you had a moment. Write it.
You came back to a clean, fresh smelling house? Write that down
No traffic on way to office? Write it.
You get the drift…. Write it all down and put it in to your jar.
And everyday as you look at the jar being filled with pieces of appreciative stuff…you will realize that you are indeed blessed.
Two tips here:
Tip 1: Use multicolored stationery… I found nicely shaped post it slips…I use that…it makes the jar so much more beautiful to look at.
Tip 2: Do it before you go to bed every night.
It might all sound a little too mushy and woo woo for you. But, I promise, it works. This technique pulls your attention off of all of those things that you don’t have and all those things that didn’t go quite right throughout the day, and instead makes you remember all of the things (both big and small!) that you should appreciate.
Instead of falling asleep obsessing over how unhappy you are, you are now focusing on things that went well. This is a sure fire way to retrain your brain to look for the good… It also has a fancy scientific name to make you feel important…Reticular activation system!
And of course you know this, What you Focus on grows!
I love this tool…this is something that I do everyday. In fact every year on December 31st, I empty my jar and look at all those lovely things that happened through the year….it helps me close the year with a warm glow.
Now don’t wait till the end of the year…today is a great auspicious day…start now… and let me know how it works out for you. And share this tool with your family and friends. May be you can even start a Family Sunshine Jar and encourage everyone to put in small slips of paper with all the things that made them smile during the day. It will be great fun. And will help create a happy vibe in your home.
Leave a comment below, on your take on gratitude. Let me also know if there are any other techniques you use.
And if you need more help, or would like to be coached out of disempowering habits, connect with me personally…book your slot at lumiere24.com/make-an-appointment
Watch this here: https://www.youtube.com/edit?o=U&video_id=MMXoDlo7NZw
