Have you heard of “The Gratitude Diaries” by Janice Kaplan?
Strangely, the information in that little book is EXACTLY what I’ve been writing a lot about lately.
Although it was first printed in the UK in 2015, and it’s been on my bookshelf for a while (the pages are turning yellow) I have no idea how it ended up there. I don’t remember buying it. Neither do I remember ever reading it before I picked it up last night.
And it’s powerful.
Daily Gratitude Practice
As you’ll know if you’ve been reading my blog posts or my newsletters recently, I first came across the idea of a daily Gratitude Practice back in 2010. At that time I was struggling BIG TIME.
I wasn’t sleeping. I was stressed. I was exhausted.
Everything seemed overwhelming and as a result I was extremely irritable.
A surgically-induced Menopause 2 years earlier was wreaking havoc with my body and mind. And they weren’t helping my family relationships either.
Starting a daily Gratitude Practice was exactly what I needed and so I could NOT have discovered “Creating a Bug Free Mind” by Andy Shaw at a better time. (That book was only published in 2010 so it wasn’t around when I first needed it).
My stress levels dropped significantly in a very short time – less than 2 weeks. I was surprised and absolutely delighted. I had no idea something so simple could be so powerful.
Developing and Attitude of Gratitude
Most people have heard the term “attitude of gratitude” now. It wasn’t so well known in 2010.
But if so many people KNOW the power of a gratitude practice, why do so few actually to it?
Unfortunately, for most of us our default as human beings is to be negative. It takes a little more effort to be positive and see the good in every situation.
But with practice it can become easy, eventually becoming second nature.
How would that change your life!
The Power is in the Feeling
Writing a daily gratitude list and really FEELING GRATEFUL for what we have is the key. The magic is in the FEELING. That simple daily habit has the power to massively improve our level of happiness, thereby transforming our lives.
Is five minutes a day too much for a powerful result like that?
Personally I don’t believe so.
I certainly understand how someone who has never tried it would be sceptical. After all it is a very strong claim.
But as the old saying goes “don’t knock it till you try it”.
When are you going to start your daily Gratitude Practice?
Don’t wait till things get better or you’re less busy.
That might never happen. As a friend of mine has a habit of saying “when you don’t want to do something, any excuse will do”.
Begin your daily gratitude practice today you’ll be amazed at how quickly you notice a very positive difference. And no doubt you’ll wonder why you didn’t start years ago.
