I'm curious, what's weighing heavy on you today?
What is your mind spinning on negatively?
Finish this sentence -
Things would be easier if.....
I'm guessing you can answer these questions without too much effort.
Now tell me, What three specific things happened yesterday that you are grateful for?
Pay attention to two things:
Is it harder to think of those?
After focusing your mind on finding gratitude, do you feel at all different than you did before?
This Gratitude practice is part of the Motivation Framework I use during my Monday Motivation calls. Inspired by a TED Talk that my husband shared with me in 2017, and is one of our favorites.
Shawn Achor researches and promotes happiness through positive psychology.
He encourages 5 practices that aren't necessarily unique, but when practiced regularly, greatly increase happiness, improve relationships and even health.
The 5 practices are:
3 Gratitudes
Journaling
Exercise (even 15 minutes)
Meditation
Random Acts of Kindness
In fact, spending just 45 seconds expressing 3 gratitudes daily can transform you from a pessimist to an optimist in a matter of weeks.
Becoming more optimistic increases social connection.
Social connection is as predictive of how long you'll live as is obesity, high blood pressure, or smoking. More positive social connection increases likelihood of a longer and healthier life.
My husband and I took this TED Talk to heart and applied Achor's 5 practices for lasting change in 2018. We bought notebooks and dedicated ourselves to journaling positive experiences and writing 3 gratitudes daily.
I was consistent for 6 months, until my mom was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer. The entries pick up again 6 months later and cover the next 8 months. During that time period, not only was my mom receiving cancer treatment, but my Sister-in-law had battled and passed away from Leukemia. I had been spending one week a month in Utah helping my parents and brother. But my journal mentions NOTHING about that. I believe that looking for and recording the Gratitudes helped me process the sadness that was surrounding me.
The 3 daily gratitudes I wrote about during that time focused on activities and interactions with my children and husband. They are treasures for me to read now, 6 years later, because one of the stories that I've told myself about that time period is that I was too absent and neglectful of my children. Here I have written evidence that I wasn't, and I can let that painful story go.
I'm so grateful to myself for this gift.
Inspired once again, Today I will start again to record 3 Gratitudes and one positive experience.
Will you join me?
A couple more ideas:
Achor suggests writing an email of gratitude to someone every morning.
I have a friend who picks three people to write cards to each week.
Sometimes in the grocery store I intentionally smile at everyone I see and/or look for people who need a helping hand reaching something.
Record and/or share positive experiences daily.
This week, as you celebrate Thanksgiving, consider making it a life-long practice to bring awareness to new, daily things you are grateful for.
You might be surprised by how much it will nurture you.
Xo,
Meredith
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