I'm sure you've heard by now about all the benefits of a gratitude practice. If you're not deep in this practice already, it is never too late to start!
As the great contemporary poet InQ says: "You will always find evidence for what you choose to
believe!". So be careful with your choices of beliefs, as they will determine the quality of your life.
Let's choose gratitude as one of the practices that will make your life better.
Here are some prompts for your Monday morning:
What are five things I'm grateful for that touch each of my five senses?
What about my home am I in love with?
Name three things I experienced today that delighted me.
What have I recently introduced into my life that's brought me peace, joy and comfort?
Name 10 things I like about myself.
Who is someone that makes me feel seen in my day-to-day life, and how do they do that?
Spot five things around me right now that I'm glad I don't have to live without.
What are some beautiful moments that happened this past week?
Ask, "What powerful lessons have I learned?"
What about my health am I thankful for?
What about my environment brings me happiness?
What about my financial situation am I grateful for?
What about the way I make money brings me joy?
What kind of wonderful do my relationships bring into my life?
What are three things in life I'm thankful for?
What's something my past self did that I'm grateful for today?
What's one thing I'd like to be proud of by the end of this week/month/year?
In what ways do I handle a crisis that I'm particularly thankful for?
Name one good thing that happened during my day.
Name something beautiful I witnessed recently.
What simple pleasures am I grateful I get to experience and enjoy?
Ask, "What do I love about the way I grew up?"
What do I have today that makes me happy that I didn't have a year ago?
What makes me smile?
What am I looking forward to lately?
Write a thank you to someone I care about.
Think of things I do and use on a day-to-day basis: How do these things Improve my quality of life?
Reflect on how someone I love makes me feel and what those feelings are.
What are my quirks, talents, and skills, and why am I grateful to have them?
What's a challenge I overcame to get me to where I am today?
What do I appreciate about my current life circumstances?
And in case you need evidence: A 2015 study https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01491/full published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology shows that feelings of gratitude are linked to the anterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex—regions of the brain that influence our decision-making, willpower, motivation, and mood.
Choosing to see the good in our lives can lead to better sleep, more empathy, less burnout, and more satisfying relationships.
(Picture I made for you with Midjourney, trying to depict the magical realm we enter when we create gratitude in our lives.)
Happy Monday!
Sending Love,
Dr. Corina Fratila