Rituals: Gratitude

We’re wrapping up the simple rituals series with today’s episode, which is all about gratitude.

Now, I think gratitude gets a bit of a bad wrap, because we see it as an attempt to Pollyanna ourselves out of challenging situations, or to avoid dealing with negative feelings. But I’m a firm believer in the power of gratitude, and today we talk about how making it part of your day can not only help you see the positive in your day-to-day life, but also shift your mindset into one of contentment and peace.

One of the ways I find gratitude most helpful is that it stops me from taking the good things for granted. By ritualising the act of gratitude we’re telling ourselves that there are good things in life (no matter what kind of day we’ve had) and they are absolutely worth celebrating. And it’s here, in those taken-for-granted things, that we find the cure for discontent.

When we’re so convinced that we’re missing out, that we’ve been hard done by, or everyone else has all the luck, we’re ignoring all the good we do have in our lives. By paying attention and choosing to be grateful for them, we shift our mindset to one of plenty, or abundance, of enough. And from that place springs contentment.

We talk about my own approach to gratitude, as well as some other, practical, non-bragging ways of practising gratitude, including:

• • taking photos

• • documenting on Instagram

• • journalling

• • Liz Gilbert’s Happiness Jar

• • nightly ritual of gratitude at the dinner table

• thanking your self or your body during meditation, prayer, yoga, exercise

This week we’d love you to commit to a daily practise of gratitude. It doesn’t need to be over the top or public, but just the act of taking a moment to reflect on the wonderful things that have been part of your day – big or small, it doesn’t matter.

Let us know if it makes an impact though – leave a comment, post over on Facebook or share your thoughts Instagram – we’d love to know if it was helpful. In the meantime though, have a wonderful week!

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Head over to iTunes to subscribe to the show and play the episode.

Or you can listen to the show directly, simply by hitting the Play button above. Enjoy!

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Things to Check Out After Today’s Episode:

• Rituals: Singe Tasking
• Rituals: Unplugging
• Rituals: Brain Dump
• Rituals: Three Things
• Liz Gilbert’s Happiness Jar
• Grab a copy of Destination Simple to learn more about the Three Things ritual, as well as eight other rituals that can help you slow down, even when life feels too busy