Gratitude Practice
Gratitude has come up a lot more over the last number of years. You have probably heard people say that they have a “gratitude practice”. This can look and feel different for everyone, but from my understanding it all boils down to being able to recognize the things in your life that you might otherwise take for granted, or that you might have intrusive or negative thoughts towards.
When I really got into yoga 10 years ago is when I was opened up to cultivating more gratitude. Yogic theories and beliefs are rooted towards self and making better of the world, and gratitude is used to help experience this. And with doing more yoga, breathwork, and furthering my connection to myself, I decided to try this on. To start noticing the smaller things, trying to be more present, and try to acknowledge what is around me and within me.
Here are a few ways that I started my gratitude practice:
Breathing intentionally- when you can stop and close your eyes and take a few deep, lung filling breaths it slows our nervous system. This in turn makes us become more aware of ourselves and our surroundings and allows our brain the opportunity to think or reflect more clearly.
Slowing down- taking time for yourself, even if it just a few moments, brings us back to the present. When we can continue to get more present and grounded (and out of our thoughts and head) we can pay attention to our body, see what it is capable of and pay tribute to that.
Changing my narrative- how you talk to yourself and your body has a huge impact. If your immediate reaction is to be harsh on your body “I hate my stomach” or “I am not ________ enough”, our body holds onto these thoughts. You start to metaphorically blur your vision and sink down into a more toxic place. Your body and brain can build resentment that blinds you from being able to connect deeper, and heal deeper. When you can switch that narrative to love and meet yourself where you are in the moment, or day, or stage of life, you can adopt some more grace and compassion. This compassion and understanding spills over into all aspects of your life where can then tune in more, and find the more positive aspects or your life and yourself.
Practice- like anything, the more we practice, the more we build confidence and comfort, and the more it becomes an integrative part into our daily routine. When I first started a gratitude practice, I found it easiest to reflect on the day, or myself in the evening before bed. As I brushed my teeth, or crawled into bed I would focus on one or two things that happened in the day that I could be “grateful” for.
Acknowledging what is around us and feeling grateful, or feeling gratitude sounds in theory “easy”. But I found it has taken practice, and awareness. It has taken a deeper awareness to myself and to my surroundings. It has challenged me to be more conscious in my daily activities, and made me think deeper to reflect on what is most important in my life and where my values are. Taking a few steps daily can help you get to this place of gratitude, or feeling more grateful for the mundane. When you can feel this, it becomes easier to look at yourself and your life with love, compassion, and joy.