Step One to Experience More Gratitude

So you have heard that being grateful can change your life by helping you become happier and healthier but in what ways?

In recent years, there has been a great deal of research conducted on experiencing gratitude and what it does to a person’s mind and body.

Here are just a few benefits a lifestyle of gratitude can give you:

• Lower Blood Pressure
• Better Relationships
• Better Sleep
• Reduced Aggression
• Motivation to Exercise
• Less Negative and Toxic Emotions
• Reduced Depression
• Improved Self-Esteem
• Better Mental Focus
• Reduced Materialism
• Increased Energy

I could go on and on but the title of this post is not “The Benefits of Gratitude.” Although that may be my next post. This post is about getting started today so you can enjoy the effects of living a life in gratitude.

Here is step one – I know you may want to fight this but please try it for 21 days and see how if it made a difference.

Every night before you go to bed I want you to write down three things you are really grateful for. I want you to write it down and actual feel the gratitude for whatever it is. For example, if tonight I wrote down that I am thankful for spring flowers then I would close my eyes think about daffodils and bluebells and tulips and smile as I felt the gratitude in my heart.

I want you to do that for each of the three things you write down. Then tomorrow night I want you to repeat the process. Pick three new things. Afraid you will run out of items? My next post will give you some examples that you can build on.

Repeat this exercise every night consistently for 21 days. Then come back here and comment on this post about your experience.

Have you noticed you are happier? Do you see that the little things that used to drive you crazy aren’t as annoying as before? Are you sleeping a little better? Do you find you are appreciating things you took for granted like fresh water, a reliable car, and family coming over? If so, that is just a small taste of what you can experience.

Keep this practice up for three months straight and I promise you there will be a big difference in your life. Maybe your circumstances won’t have changed a great deal (although often they do) but you will be enjoying the life you have so much more than before.

Tonight, when I write down my three things, one of them will be for you – my readers!

Stop back here each week as I add more exercises you can do to live a life of gratitude. Be sure to add your email so you get notified when I post.