Conscious Gratitude: Ten Ways to Give Thanks Every Day
At our age, especially during these unprecedented times, it's so easy for our mindset to escape us.
We are prone to lose track of our daily inspiration and motivation. We get so caught up in mindless media, social animosity, and pressure of the unforeseen future. I think it's important to be able to step back and make changes in our day-to-day life that satisfy our purpose as human beings. Changing your outlook on the small moments throughout your day and building an awareness for your daily routine can change your perspective on the bigger picture.
1. Coffee Hour
Photo: Pinterest
When you wake up in the morning, take some time to peacefully greet a new day. Try not to pick up your phone right away. Enjoy your physical presence, listen to your body. What does it need? Maybe some water, maybe a nice stretch. Now, make yourself a cup of coffee or tea and look out the window. Acknowledge the life outside the walls that are keeping you safe and warm in your home. If you can allow yourself to be present at the start of your day, then you will be more open to whatever lies in the day ahead. For me, doing this has actually made it easier to go to sleep at night and look forward to the next day.
2. Make Your Bed
While this may seem like a silly, insignificant task, whether or not you make your bed in the morning can determine your subconscious mindset throughout the whole day. This 30-second effort may be one of the first things you do when you wake up in the morning but will ultimately lead to a more productive rest of your day. Eventually, if you can form a habit out of it, you will notice yourself getting more things accomplished than before and have a greater appreciation for waking up in the morning.
3. Get Dressed
Give yourself some extra time in the morning to pick out an outfit that you feel confident and comfortable in. Sometimes, I like to pick out a couple of outfits and then choose my favorite one. One of my favorite parts of the day is getting ready and being able to express myself through fashion. Picking out more than one outfit makes me realize how lucky I am to have options for what I can wear and it sets the tone for how I will feel throughout the day.
Photo: Pinterest
4. Make a Meal
Personally, I have a hard time when it comes to taking the time to cook for myself because I’m either too tired, don’t have the patience, or simply uninspired. But, every time I do make a meal for myself, I end up feeling more satisfied than I would if I had ordered take out or just stuck something in the microwave. Now, I try to make a habit out of cooking at least one meal everyday and it has given me a unique sense of fulfillment and pride for taking the time to take care of myself.
5. Drink Water
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It seems obvious, but this daily task often gets forgotten. If you can consciously remind yourself to drink water throughout the day, you are already one step closer to an increased awareness of your physical well-being. Once in a while, try considering where that water came from, and how it is filtered, purified and safe for you to drink. This element that is essential to life is so accessible to us that we forget to acknowledge how fortunate we are to be able to hydrate our bodies.
6. Create a To-Do List
Rather than seeing this as a daunting endeavor, try to understand the opportunities involved in completing these tasks. When you’re making your to-do list, focus on the small realistic things that you can fulfill that day. Think about the gratification you will feel when you can begin checking off that list. If you’re anything like me, your to-do list will even include things like: shower, drink coffee, get dressed, etc. Even though these are simple things that we do everyday, I know that I will be able to check them off the list and feel just that much more accomplished. In return, I find myself checking off the more difficult tasks and can feel proud of my productivity at the end of the day.
7. Read
Reading is a pastime that has become somewhat outdated since having smartphones at our fingertips and electronic entertainment everywhere. Whether it’s a book, an article, or a poem, picking up something to read is always more refreshing for my mind than picking up my phone. I prefer to read in the morning when I wake up rather than starting my day scrolling through social media. I also like to read at night before bed to ease my mind and to temporarily escape from any external stressors.
Photo: Pinterest
8. Stretch
Move your body! Thank it for everything it does for you. Every little muscle, bone, and organ deserves some credit. Take a few minutes to stretch, light a candle, breathe, and just be. Our bodies work hard for us, so we need to show them some love. Stretching in the morning or in the middle of the day, for me, is like hitting a reset button, leaving me feeling more energized and motivated. Stretching at night before bed has also been beneficial for me as it’s my favorite way to relax the body and the mind while making it easier to fall asleep.
9. Listen to Music
This is one of my favorite ways to boost my mood and clear my head. Whether I’m listening to a playlist I’ve heard a million times or taking the time to search for new music, the end goal is the same: to feel something. As cheesy as that sounds, finding music that makes you feel subconsciously opens your soul to new emotional possibilities. There is SO much music out there, so take advantage of the beautiful art form that was created to ignite all the feels!
10. Meditate
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Meditation can look different for everybody. In my opinion, there is no right or wrong way to go about it. You can allow thoughts to run through your head naturally, you can intentionally process a thought to the point of manifestation, or you can attempt to free yourself of any thoughts altogether. Whatever you do, if your focus is relaxed and centered, you are practicing meditation. Try concentrating your practice on the idea of gratitude. Allow yourself to align internal reflection with external happenings. What can you be grateful for at this moment? What’s something that you are thankful for that may be out of your control? What is something that you are thankful for that is a product of your decisions or actions?