“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend” – Buddha
Gratitude is not a feeling that we give a lot of importance to. We experience it occasionally but it’s not something we really stop and reflect upon. Perhaps that’s why so many people today are so discontented and dissatisfied with their jobs, their relationships, and their lives. In today’s consumer-driven and the super-competitive world, our more prevalent emotions tend to be anger, frustration, envy and often, despair. Even people with wealth and successful careers feel this way. Why do we feel that something is missing in our lives? The likely answer is that we lack gratitude.
Gratitude is one of the most overlooked factors in our pursuit of self-improvement and personal well-being.
Although not an external skill that can be learned, gratitude is an innate quality, a potential mindset that exists in each and every one of us. It can be awakened and developed to dramatically change your outlook – and transform your life in ways you never imagined.
Practicing gratitude creates a huge paradigm shift. Suddenly, so many of the things that keep you tossing and turning at night become trivial and meaningless – while the things you should be putting your effort into, the things that have true value and meaning, become crystal-clear. No physical skill can ever transform your life in this way.
This is not a bogus theory. A wealth of research has proven that the regular practice of gratitude helps achieve lasting happiness and success.
So, how do we “practice” something as elusive and intangible as gratitude? Actually, it’s one of the easiest things to do. This 7-Day Challenge will show you how to practice a different form of gratitude every day for one week. It will help rewire your brain and sow the seeds for a lasting mindset that becomes second nature. Try it yourself and at the end of the seven days you will never view your life – and the world around you – in the same way again!
What Science Tells Us About Gratitude
Gratitude is one of the most researched concepts in psychology and behavioral science. Not only has it been proven to improve happiness and strengthen social and personal relationships, but it has also been proven to boost success and productivity, as well as promote overall physical and mental health. Here are some surprising facts that science can tell us:
1. Most people don’t express gratitude at their workplace.
2. Women are more grateful than men.
3. Grateful people exercise more and are more health-conscious.
4. Gratitude improves sleep.
5. Gratitude lowers cholesterol levels.
6. Grateful people are more likely to achieve their goals.
7. Gratitude strengthens personal relationships.
8. Gratitude alleviates depression.
9. Gratitude helps people make wiser buying decisions and not overspend.
10. Gratitude strengthens inner peace.
With all these proven benefits, it’s no wonder that many wellness experts are recommending that their clients practice gratitude regularly. In addition, many psychiatrists are now incorporating gratitude practices and exercises into their therapies.
The bottom line: Gratitude is likely one of the few things in life that has no downsides. Scientifically, there can be no doubt that gratitude is good for us on many levels!
Getting Started
The 7-Day Gratitude Challenge requires no special preparations or costs. All you need to get started are two key things:
Keep A Gratitude Journal
The challenge needs to go hand in hand with a gratitude journal where you record your experiences at the end of each day. Ideally, you should keep a physical journal where you record entries in handwriting as this will better imprint the experiences in your mind.
Each night before you go to bed, take a few minutes to jot down how that day’s challenge went, any particular things you noticed and how you feel. You must do this each day for the first seven days and the next seven days if you decided to repeat the challenge for another week. As you get the hang of it, it’s sufficient to make entries into your journal twice or three times a week after that.
There’s an added bonus as well. Research has linked gratitude journaling with lower stress levels, improved mental clarity, and better sleep. This should be enough motivation to keep your journal entries top of mind at the end of each day!
Consistency Is Key.
When you make the intention to take the 7-Day Challenge, you must make the commitment to follow through consistently. The first week is especially important because you are preparing your brain to rewire itself for gratitude. If you skip days or go through the challenges half-heartedly, your brain will register that gratitude is not important enough for you to make it a habit. However, this may not be easy for everyone.
Perhaps the one downside to practicing gratitude is that it won’t be easy for people who are generally pessimistic and negative in their thinking.
We are all programmed to think negatively more than we do positively, as it is an innate survival instinct from the days when our ancestors had to expect the worst in order to stay alive. However, this can definitely be overcome with consistency and practice,
The bottom line: In order to change, the brain needs to experience gratitude regularly. That’s why it’s important to follow the challenge through the full seven days and keep gratitude top of mind.
Gratitude builds on itself. The more we experience gratitude, the more the brain changes to make it a mindset. Keeping a gratitude journal and staying consistent will allow you to achieve this by creating a continuous cycle of gratitude in your life.
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I have created a free printable it has a daily gratitude entry area, doodle, daily affirmations, and how could I have made today a better section. There are two entities on each page. Download it today.
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Preview:
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