On the road to happiness, we often fall into the trap of “I’ll be happy when [fill in the blank].” Right now you’re probably finishing that statement with “when COVID is over and life can return to normal.” But the truth is, if we are constantly chasing that rabbit, we will continue to get stuck in the same hole. Happiness doesn’t magically come when you have all you could have ever imagined, it comes from being truly grateful for what you already have. Practicing gratitude for what we have, allows us to climb out of that hole and find more joy in our everyday life.
Speaking of joy and happiness, the video for this week will be guidance through a breath technique called breath of joy. This breath and movement practice should take no more than a few minutes, and is a great thing to add into your morning routine to start your day out on the right foot.
Practicing Gratitude
Take a moment and reflect on 10 things you are grateful for in your life right now (try not to list any possessions or material items). Each time you come up with something, take a moment to dive deeper and think about why you are grateful for it. And as you think about what you are grateful for and why, allow yourself to feel the gratitude, the joy, the love, or whatever other wonderful feeling that may arise.
Write this list and your whys down if you would like, so you may revisit them each morning before you go about your day. And each time you revisit this list, allow yourself to feel it, as you just did, and maybe add a few more items. Designate a journal, just for your gratitudes, that you can add to and reflect upon each day.
As you do this practice, notice how it affects you throughout the day, and if anything shifts in your mood, stress levels, productivity, or interactions. And if you continue this practice through a journal, in moments where life is getting you down, open your journal and see what shift can take place.
Starting a practice of gratitude in this time can be extremely powerful in changing your perspective and finding more joy in your life. And the thing about gratitude is, the more you practice it, the easier it becomes. And as you practice gratitude, you will begin to attract more opportunities, experiences, people, or things to be grateful for.
If you need some perspective, or motivation on how to get started, check out the TED talks video linked below where David Steindl-Rast explains how to stop (take pauses in your daily life), look (grow awareness of what you see, smell, hear, feel, etc.), and go (go after what life is offering you).
Getting Started
Don’t have a normal practice of gratitude?
Having a hard time getting started on your list?
Here are a few things to choose from and help you grow your list.
As I mentioned before, it gets easier the more you practice.
Things to be grateful for (starter ideas):
- Family
- Friends
- Pets
- Good health or access to good healthcare options
- House/home/shelter
- Food
- Your job
- Clean water
- Light/electricity
- Breath
- The ability to give and receive love
- Access to transportation (car, bus, your own two feet)
- The beautiful forests of Flagstaff
- Ability to connect with loved ones near and far
- Having enough (money, food, water, etc.)
We are truly grateful for each and every one of you. Thank you for sticking with us on this journey.
We hope you find more things each day to be grateful for and that you uncover the joy that comes along with it.
With gratitude,
The Harmonizing Healthcare team