From Complaints to Thanks: The Art of Practicing Gratitude Daily
4 Steps to Creating A Consistent Gratitude Practice
It is a well-established fact that we all should practice gratitude. It is more than a practice of merely "giving thanks." Gratitude is consciously redirecting your attention away from what appears not to be working and onto what is working in your favor. What you focus on expands, as like attracts like. Whenever you focus on what isn't working, you attract thought after thought, affirming that things are falling apart. When, in actuality, you may only be discontent in a few areas. The key to redirecting your attention is to find better-feeling thoughts.
Beyond giving "thanks." Gratitude provides you the space to look at the areas that appear not to be working so that you can find something to be grateful for. Being that like attracts like, identifying one thing can easily draw similar thoughts until you can shift your perspective. Gratitude is not a one-and-done practice; it requires consistent, concerted effort. Hence, it’s practice.
Gratitude is more than an act of appreciation. It is a state of consciousness with an energetic frequency that raises your vibration above unfavorable conditions. Being that energy is not a tangible element that can visibly be seen with the naked eye; it can transcend the physical realm.
As within so without. Gratitude doesn’t just emanate from the outward things that we experience daily. It is an energetic frequency from within, flowing into our external experience. It comes from the depths of our being and not from acquiring, achieving, or accomplishing any external accolades of success. Gratitude arises from an awareness of being observant and accepting of what is as it unfolds within the present moment, regardless of circumstances or conditions.
“Gratitude is not a passive response to something we have been given; gratitude arises from paying attention, from being awake in the presence of everything that lives within and without us.”
-David Whyte
In the good times, when we are visibly experiencing abundance, it is much easier to express it without hesitation. But when you are in the midst of situations and circumstances that may reaffirm feelings of lack, it is much harder to see beyond your present viewpoint. Let alone maintain consistency even when you may find it hard to identify just one thing to be grateful for.
Amid these times, it's best to start by taking time to get up close and personal to look in the mirror. Be it a handheld, bathroom, or wall-mounted mirror, bring your face and nose as close as possible to the surface and observe the gentle mist of fog that briefly appears with the flow of breath through each nostril. Allow this observation to serve as a reminder that you are alive. No matter what you may be going through moment-to-moment, let it be a reminder that you are alive to witness and experience life as it unfolds.
There are so many things to be thankful for: breath, movement, family, friends, material things, and ultimately life itself. Of all the many responsibilities and obligatory things that we are bombarded with daily, establishing and maintaining a consistent daily practice may present a challenge. Ultimately, being grateful for life is a spiritual practice. It’s all about perspective. That’s why it's important to establish a daily practice.
From the moment we awake, arise, and move about through our day, we each have 86,400 (seconds) opportunities in any given day to give thanks. So, practicing gratitude and appreciation daily can raise your vibration above any visible circumstances that may weigh you down.
As time permits, find a few minutes a day to identify 3-to five things you are grateful for. Free yourself to write whatever flows, and notice how you feel freely.
4 Steps to Creating A Consistent Gratitude Practice
1. Express and Affirm Your Gratitude and Appreciation
Practice can begin when you first open your eyes in the morning. It can be as simplistic as saying thank you. Be it verbally or consciously, affirm your gratitude and appreciation for the presence of the breath. Regardless of circumstances, the presence of the breath reaffirms your ability to begin again; irrespective of past experiences or future projections, the breath anchors you within the awareness of the present moment.
2. Savor the Beauty Around You
There will be situations, circumstances, events, and experiences that will threaten to cloud your ability to find something to be grateful for. Know that 86,400 opportunities are available for you to experience each day. There are countless beautiful moments that you bear witness to that have absolutely nothing to do with any external conditions that are outside of your control.
From the air, you breathe the beautiful wonders that abound in nature, observe and experience, and give thanks for having time to pause and witness its beauty.
3. Anchor your Awareness within the Present Moment
Whenever you feel overwhelmed, take a moment to pause, breathe, and redirect your attention to the natural rhythm and flow of the breath. This practice redirects your awareness away from past experiences, and future projections, anchoring your awareness within the present moment. This allows for you to be fully present to tap into your five senses to taste, touch, feel, see, and experience life as it unfolds.
4. Keep A Gratitude Journal
Journaling is a practice that invites you to explore the depths of your being by using self-reflection and exploration to remind yourself of the gifts, benefits, and blessings that you experience. Recalling the details of your experience helps to peel back the layers that may have masked the moments of gratitude underneath your daily activities.
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Thank you
This is so helpful, thank you. I have been slowly developing my gratitude practice over the last few months but for some reason I had never joined the dots and thought of it as an active, energetic practice from within.