An exercise to help you find more gratitude
I’m a big believer in the power of gratitude. Practicing it regularly has completely transformed my life and my attitude, and I’ve seen it work wonders for my clients too. And that’s no surprise - research shows that a regular gratitude practice can produce many benefits, including better health, more harmonious relationships and improved longevity. That’s right - being grateful can actually help you live longer. How cool is that?!
It’s for these reasons (and many more) that I recommend writing gratitude lists to anyone who will listen, but I know that sometimes it can be difficult to know where to start - especially if you’re going through a challenging period in your life. Sure, you could just write the obvious stuff - having a roof over your head or running water in your taps - but if you don’t feel emotionally connected to the items on your list, you’re not going to feel the full effect of those positive benefits.
And that’s why I wanted to share an exercise with you today that is guaranteed to help you find more gratitude. I promise that even if you’re feeling cynical and jaded right now, by working your way through this exercise, your perspective will start to shift. Ready?
I want you to start by thinking about what the world was like when your grandmother was your age. What did her life look like when she was the same age as you? What opportunities were available to her? How would she have spent her days? What responsibilities did she have? What freedoms did she have?
Then I want you to think about the world right now, the world you’re living in. What has changed since your grandmother was your age? In what ways is life more convenient now? How has society changed? What opportunities are available to you now that wouldn’t have been available to your grandmother 50 or 60 years ago?
Once you’ve spent some time thinking about this, open up your notebook or a blank Google doc and make a list of everything you have right now that your grandmother would have killed for when she was your age. Things, opportunities, experiences - get them all down on paper.
And then, allow yourself to feel gratitude for the things we so often take for granted. Allow yourself to feel thankful for being alive at this point in history, allow yourself to accept that life has never been as convenient or full of opportunity than it is right now.
Of course, there’s still a long way to go. The world in which we live is far from perfect, and I wholeheartedly hope that much more will have changed by the time my grandchildren are my age. But what I love about this exercise is that it reminds me to practice gratitude for everything that has already changed. It reminds me to be grateful for the career I can build without shame or judgement. It reminds me to be grateful for the holidays I can take now that the world is a more connected place. Heck, it even reminds me to be thankful for my functioning washing machine and hair straighteners!
Hopefully it will also help you to shift into a more positive headspace and realise that we have so much to be grateful for right now, even amidst the chaos and uncertainty and worries. I’d love to hear how your perspective shifts when you give this exercise a go, so hit reply and let me know!
