I’ve struggled with grouchiness for years. A regular gratitude practice sounded like a great idea 10 years ago, but I was never able to get it to stick.
I tried writing 5 things I’m grateful for in a journal every morning. But I was grumpy so I refused to take out the journal just ‘cause I was supposed to.
I tried writing down my gratitudes at night. Either I was too tired or I would forget, a lot…for weeks, which stretched to months.
Recently, I was blessed with a big dose of spontaneous gratitude. That awakened me to try installing a gratitude habit, again. This time, I tried twice a day. Yeah, more often. And just 3 quick things instead of 5 so it doesn’t feel like work. In the morning, a quick 3 gratitudes upon waking. As soon as I’m willing to open my eyes. No need to write them down. I try to choose at least one thing that isn’t obviously a comfort and joy but that I’m deeply grateful for, anyway. Even something that’s been painful at times. I also gave myself a phone reminder to write down 3 gratitudes in the evening, just before I get ready for bed.
How’d it go? Well, I still don’t always get to it. But I noticed a wonderful shift. Gratitude has percolated throughout my day. I know I’ll need to come up with stuff so I’ve got my eye out, all the time, for life’s little blessings. That was the point all along: to notice and feel grateful. I’m so grateful that I persevered and rediscovered gratitude!
AND, since developing this gratitude habit, a popular app called “Presently” was ‘suggested’ by my phone. Ah, it is so simply and beautifully crafted with daily reminders, all customizable. . . a nifty techie fix for anyone’s faltering gratitude habit.
Now I’m grateful for Presently, too!
Photo by Taylor Deas-Melesh on Unsplash