Chapter 13,
Three exercises to develop gratitude in your everyday life.
Exercise 1,
Morning gratitude.
Begin each day with a simple practice of morning gratitude.
Most of us will wake up and use this quiet time to think about our day ahead,
And this can often be a time when any issues or worries arise.
This quick and easy practice takes just a few minutes each morning,
And will allow you to counteract negative thoughts and replace them with all that you have to be thankful for as you start your day.
Take a few moments to clear your mind.
Now think of someone or something in your life that makes you smile.
You may not have even met them,
But you are grateful that you know them.
I would like you to look to change the focus of your first smile each morning.
Now expand this a little and begin to think of other things in your life that you are grateful for,
Just a few to start your day on the right footing.
Look to subtly change them each morning,
And if for whatever reason it doesn't flow,
Just go back to basics.
For example,
Do you step out of your warm bed onto a soft carpet?
Will the tap produce clean flowing water at a single turn?
Does the morning sun gently bathe your room?
Are you free to offer someone a caring,
Genuine smile today?
This time spent each morning whilst allowing and encouraging yourself to realise all that you have in life won't just brighten your day,
It will change your life.
Exercise 2,
Give Thanks At any point during your day you can use this uplifting exercise to focus on a specific person,
Including yourself,
Or subject that you wish to give or develop gratitude for.
As with the forgiveness within your heart exercise,
Take a plain piece of paper.
Now write thank you and a name or word in inverted commas at the top of the page.
Draw your heart in the centre of the page and write the person's name or simple phrase inside it.
Clear your mind and look to nurture a feeling of appreciation.
Now begin to find things that you are thankful for associated with what you have placed within your heart and write them down as they come to you.
Fill the page around your heart and prepare to amaze yourself.
Gratitude flows as a result of you simply focusing on what was there all along.
This inspiring and yet very simple exercise not only helps to give thanks for things that come easily to you,
It will also bring clarity and reduce stress with people or issues that occasionally come along and test you in life.
It will help you to realise that we can all find things to appreciate in any situation that comes our way.
Exercise 3,
Restful Contemplation However hectic or busy your day has been,
You usually have time at the end of it to reflect on how it has gone.
This is another ideal opportunity to focus on finding positive elements within any situation.
Begin with the things that have happened that bring a smile to your face.
As you relax,
Recognise that warm,
Happy sensation at your ability to feel gratitude that this person or event has become part of your life.
Everyday things will also come along to test us in some way.
It normally suggests that something or someone hasn't quite met our expectations or the outcome isn't how we had envisaged it would be.
However,
Please keep in mind that very often we end up relieved that things didn't progress as we had hoped and are even more grateful for a completely different outcome.
As you take a moment at the end of the day to reflect on such things,
Look to develop a gentle understanding that there is an opportunity to learn and grow from everything that comes into our lives and that such fortune enables us to become a better,
Happier and more grounded person.
This simple practice just before you go to sleep each evening will help you finish your day in a calm,
Peaceful and reflective frame of mind.
A short guided meditation that will further enhance this chapter can be found at www.
Iantucker.
Co.
Uk
