We are bombarded, daily, with perfect images of perfect lives on social media! And, although we know that everything we see is not always a true reflection of people’s reality, it can cause us to become discontent with our own lives and the personal journeys we are on.
As we have been discussing mental health this month, I have been reminded what a huge role gratitude plays. There is a wonderful quote that says “Gratitude makes what we have, enough” and it is very true. Although we may not have everything we wish for we do have many things to be grateful for every day. This may include friendships, an income, a beautiful view, health, a special pet or an act of kindness you experience.
Practicing gratitude daily really helps put things into perspective and energises us to continue on our journeys. A lovely way to make this a daily habit is to carve out time in your routine, either alone or with family or a friend and find some things, big or small, to be grateful for and express it out loud. Articulating the ‘gold’ in our lives makes it so much more real and valuable.
Start with one thing you are grateful for and work your way up to more. As with most things, to start with, it may feel forced but as you are consistent you will find gratitude starting to flow out of you and the benefits spilling into all areas of your life. People who practice daily gratitude experience less aches and pains, closer friendships, less stress and improved self-esteem and mental strength, all of which we could do with in times like these!
