So its been a while, and a lot has happened. We have all lost something, some have gained , and some have suffered terribly. If we have been lucky enough to have been through the last year unscathed, then we seem to have more to be grateful for than ever. It’s also a practice that will help some to recover from the events of the past year.
Now, before we carry on, I want to make it clear that I in no way wish to negate certain issues like grief, and depression, and I want folks suffering in those ways to know that gratitude practice might not be appropriate for you at this time. Please monitor yourselves closely , and if it doesn’t feel right to you, then wait and try again when your mental landscape feels more ready, and be sure to get help should you need it.
Our minds are hardwired to focus on the negative. This wiring can cause anxiety, and a damaging shift in perspective. This hardwiring of our minds to the negative is an evolutionary tool to keep us safe. Our brain needs to remind us more of the danger of that sabre tooth tiger, than the pretty flower, because the danger is a real threat, and the flower is not. ( Obviously I’m HUGELY simplifying the opposites here). So it can mean that we go about our business, and at the end of the day, the 2 minutes as someone cut in front of us in a queue, the rude cashier, or the rabbit hole we fell down briefly ( true story) can be what our minds focus on. Looking across our day with gratitude can help us to gain perspective on these little, not really threatening moments that feel so bad, and instead remember the triumphs and happiness of our day. Most importantly, we can gain a real self awareness of how we are actually coping. Are we letting small insignificant things feel like tigers? Are we ignoring issues that we need help with? Do we need to make changes so there is a lot less danger ( stress) and a lot more joy? It encourages us to shift our perspective to the positive.
What Gratitude Practice is NOT:
Gratitude practice is not ignoring the negative, its simply focussing only on the positive for a while. It should never be used to spiritually bypass real, hard emotions. Its not designed to get you to forget or ignore your struggles, but what it can do is remind you of the good times in the bad, and thus give you the strength to deal with the harder parts of life.
What Gratitude Practice could mean to you:
At the end of the day, before you go to bed, sit and write down some things in your day that you are grateful for. Look across your day in detail. Really focus on the lovely moments. The hard times can be given a helpful new perspective too : I’m grateful for that doctors appointment, I’m grateful for the help I’m getting, I’m grateful from that smile from that lady ( true story). By looking at the positives of your day, your mind will start to pay more attention to the positives than the small negatives, and the positives alongside the big negatives, and therefore your days show you the joy that’s around you. You will be able to enjoy the good times more readily, and your days should improve.
Try it. Give yourself a goal of three for the first week, 5 the next, and then don’t limit yourself at all. The Law of Attraction states that this will attract more good times to you – so lets test this out! Let me know how you get on.
Take care of your beautiful selves
Mima x
HedgeRose Healing 