I’ve been fortunate to have some incredible holiday time with my husband and kids this summer. After an especially hectic first half of the year, it’s been fantastic to have open-ended days as a family to do as we choose. Lazy mornings and big healthy breakfasts, swimming and building sandcastles at the beach, picnic lunches, exploring new country towns, finding playgrounds we’ve never frequented, barbecues with the in-laws, and quiet evenings on our front porch. It’s been glorious. In the quieter moments, both my husband and I have commented numerous times on how grateful we are. For our life together, for our health, for the amazing support of our family and friends, and the wonderful relationships we have with both of our respective families.
Feeling grateful is an attitude or mindset that makes me feel good. And while I was on holiday I recognized that it’s easy for me to feel grateful when I’m in the midst of sunny summer vacation days. But it becomes a little harder when life gets busier, the to-do lists are piling up, work is challenging, the monotony of motherhood grates on my nerves, or life throws me an unexpected curveball. I know that it’s in these times that the need to be grateful is so important. On those “blah” kind of days, being grateful can create the much-needed shift within me towards the positive.
On that note, here’s this week’s task for the feel-good project:
Adopt the Attitude of Gratitude
At the end of each day, as part of your bedtime ritual, write down 5 things that you are grateful for. If you think you’ll forget, sign yourself up for this amazing free gratitude journal service Happy Rambles. The service will send you an email at a set time every day and ask you what you’re grateful for.
Being thankful for all the positive things in our life fosters an environment in which we can recognize more and more things to be grateful for. This Time article reports that gratefulness increases happiness and wellbeing, and aren’t they an integral part of feeling good?
What are you thankful for today?
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