Tis’ the season🥳! We are officially 2 weeks and 6 days away from saying farewell to 2020 + welcoming 2021 and all its possibilities. Being this close to the end of the year feels different this go round. I know I’m not the only one that feels like this has both been the LONGEST year ever + feeling like where did 2020 even go😅?
During this time of year, I like to dig deep and go heavy on my gratitude. Making room for gratitude is an important aspect of my self-care rituals. My gratitude practice keeps me in check. Reminds me to not just see the big picture, but to have a clear view of all the small things that are there are to be grateful for. It is the everyday ✨magick✨ of finding joy in places we overlook + take for granted. A gratitude practice is so good for the heart, spirit + overall wellbeing.
Believe it or not, there was a time in my life where I didn’t have a gratitude practice. It wasn’t because I wasn’t grateful + it wasn’t because I didn’t take stock or take time to reflect🤔. I didn’t have a gratitude practice simply because I didn’t think that I “needed” an actual routine or ritual of it. Growing up in the South in a heavily Christian household, I felt that I knew all that I needed to know about being thankful🙏🏾.
After years of self-care and committing to the work of pouring back, I learned a gratitude practice is really about finding the calm + the peace. It requires you to pause, even if its for a moment to find peace in something that is already present for you.
Making things Simple
As beneficial as a consistent gratitude practice has shown in studies for mental health and well-being, creating a gratitude practice you can call your own can sometimes feel overwhelming😅. What to do, how long to do it + what things to focus on can all be questions that could cause a person to throw in the towel before they even begin.
When I began my gratitude practice, what helped me “train” my “gratitude brain” was keeping things as simple + easy as possible. This helped me to NOT overthink or overwhelm myself in feeling that I wasn’t “doing it right”.
I gave myself permission that my gratitude practice could look however it needed. Some days this meant a quick morning journal entry of reflections + other days this was me thinking of my joys while I showered. One of the biggest helps to me in the beginning stages of my gratitude practice was staying within 4 pillars or areas, again keeping things simple.
4 Pillars of Gratitude
1. The Day: One of the easiest ways to start the day with gratitude is taking a moment to be truly thankful for simply waking up this morning. Finding gratitude in the present moment of just existing, right here right now. Nothing before, nothing after, just today.
2. The Body: Appreciation of physical capabilities, the ability to walk, see, hear, talk, to have a healthy body + mind are all places that we can call on in gratitude.
3. Support + Others: Gratitude for the people in your circle + life. This pillar calls us to recognize those people that have made a difference big and small within our world.
4. Self: This isn’t like The Body pillar that focuses on physical capabilities + body functions. This pillar calls us to take appreciation of self. Appreciation of you, how far you have come, accomplishments, things you have overcome or that you are proud of about yourself for. This one is focused on YOU being you + and all the things that make you who you are in this world.
Similar to any muscle in the body. The more you work your gratitude muscle the easier following a gratitude practice will be. And before you know it, finding gratitude and joy all around you will be just like breathing. Or at the very least, will be a tool in your self-care toolkit that you can always call on when you need to.
Special Announcement
I am so excited to announce that starting on December 21st I will be hosting my first 4 days of Gratitude series!
So what does that mean? I am a HUGE believer in the amazing benefits of a solid gratitude practice + completely understand that finding the time and space to begin that practice can be half the battle. I wanted to make this series super EASY + done for you.
What is the series? Starting on 12/21 you will receive an email from me daily for 4 days focusing on one of the gratitude pillars. Each email will include a guided meditation by yours truly that is 15 min or less. These meditations are downloadable + can be done whenever you are needing to feel more grounded.
How do I sign up? Click here to register
What’s the catch? There isn’t one. No cost, no obligation, just a gift from me to you.
One response to “4 Pillars of Gratitude”
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