Cultivating gratitude is powerful.
Incorporating a gratitude practice into this calming hour before sleep has a lot of benefits.
One is that it brings our hearts and minds away from the worries and concerns of the day and into what we enjoyed,
What was positive or what went well.
Have your journal ready?
Some people write these in a journal,
Other people write them on a piece of paper and then put them into a jar so that at any time during the upcoming weeks and months,
You could pull out a few,
Notice what you were feeling grateful for in the past.
So relax your body,
Get settled.
Bring to mind something that went well for you today.
Doesn't have to be something big.
The more specific,
The better.
For each one,
We'll feel it in the body.
Let's take our time with this.
What went well for you?
What comes to mind?
Maybe it was a person,
Something they said to you.
Maybe it was walking your dog.
What's the first thing that comes to mind as something you're grateful for today?
You might be hearing some words or have a visual memory.
And then feel that in your body.
You might've just taken a deeper breath.
Let your shoulders soften,
Your heart open.
Be aware of your chest,
Your heart center.
Let your attention be fully absorbed in this first thing that you're grateful for.
One of the things gratitude practice does is that it changes our brain.
We need to be focusing on it for 30 seconds at least in order for that to happen.
It literally changes the wiring in our brain.
And now,
Let your breath be soft and focus in on the second thing.
What is another positive thing or something that you're grateful for?
It could be a meal you experienced,
A smile on someone's face,
Music you were listening to.
Let your breath be deep and continuous.
Let yourself feel the second thing in your heart.
You know it's there,
It's in your heart.
In your whole body,
Relax and bring it to mind.
Maybe it's an image,
A memory,
A felt sense,
An aroma,
A touch.
Focus in on the second thing.
And then let your mind focus in on a third experience.
Something else that you're happy about that went well.
Maybe you had a conversation that went well and you felt very connected with that person.
It might be touch,
Maybe a hug,
The warmth and support of someone we care about.
Take a few deeper in-breaths,
Let your breath have ease.
As you breathe out,
Let go of any worry or concern.
And as you breathe in,
Let yourself fully focus on this wonderful thing,
Person,
An image,
A memory,
An experience.
Let yourself take that in.
I'm grateful for what happened and I'm grateful for the opportunity to notice and really focus in so that I can absorb the pleasure,
Feel the gratitude.
