Every morning after waking up, I write one thing that I'm grateful for. Sometimes it's easy. Sometimes it's so difficult that I write the same thing for a few days in a row (There are many days where I write that I'm grateful for a hot cup of tea.) But I've learned that first of all, I don't have to write a long list of things to be grateful for.
Writing a single thing every day can make a difference. As a person with the trait of sensory processing sensitivity, I notice a lot of little details in daily life. Also being intuitive, my mind is trying to link those tiny details with bigger meaning. As a result, I ruminate and worry more often than I would like. If I wake up suspecting that I will have a tough day ahead, writing about one thing I'm glad to have in my life makes the burden feel a little lighter. It's like, "Yeah, today is going to test my patience, but at least I have this awesome thing in my life right now." It's like no matter what annoying things happen, there is at least one thing in my life that is still good. Another thing I've learned about writing one thing to be grateful for every day is that nothing is too insignificant. Being grateful for a rainy day (I love rainy days), the feeling of a comfy blanket, a favorite food item, or having someone who cares for me in my life, is good enough. When it comes to projects, writing another sentence of my novel, making progress on a sketch, or coming up with a new idea that's useful, is enough to be grateful for. Expressing gratitude helps to lessen my focus on all the things in my life that aren't going the way I want them to. Plus, it doesn't take long to do. Starting the day on a positive foot prepares me to face difficulties, because I always know that there's a little bit of good I can always return to. So if you feel like writing a list of five or ten things to be grateful daily is too much, try writing just one thing. A simple and minimal gratitude practice can still make an impact.
Writing a single thing every day can make a difference. As a person with the trait of sensory processing sensitivity, I notice a lot of little details in daily life. Also being intuitive, my mind is trying to link those tiny details with bigger meaning. As a result, I ruminate and worry more often than I would like. If I wake up suspecting that I will have a tough day ahead, writing about one thing I'm glad to have in my life makes the burden feel a little lighter. It's like, "Yeah, today is going to test my patience, but at least I have this awesome thing in my life right now." It's like no matter what annoying things happen, there is at least one thing in my life that is still good. Another thing I've learned about writing one thing to be grateful for every day is that nothing is too insignificant. Being grateful for a rainy day (I love rainy days), the feeling of a comfy blanket, a favorite food item, or having someone who cares for me in my life, is good enough. When it comes to projects, writing another sentence of my novel, making progress on a sketch, or coming up with a new idea that's useful, is enough to be grateful for. Expressing gratitude helps to lessen my focus on all the things in my life that aren't going the way I want them to. Plus, it doesn't take long to do. Starting the day on a positive foot prepares me to face difficulties, because I always know that there's a little bit of good I can always return to. So if you feel like writing a list of five or ten things to be grateful daily is too much, try writing just one thing. A simple and minimal gratitude practice can still make an impact.