Gratitude Saved My Life

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You see it everywhere, especially around Thanksgiving: “Grateful. Thankful. Blessed.” It’s cute and catchy and a true expression of how many of us feel on a daily basis. But gratitude has become so much more than a catchy expression–it’s a way of life.

Gratitude Saved My Life.  | East Valley Moms Blog

I kept a gratitude journal in the 1990s when Oprah made it popular to list three things you’re thankful for every day. You know, “Cheezits after school. Kevin calling me. A good hair day.” When being a wife, teacher and mother started taking over my time, I got away from it until I battled postpartum anxiety after my second son was born. During my recovery I picked up the book “1,ooo Gifts” where the author challenges you to list happy sightings or experiences throughout the day with an emphasis on increasing your awareness of the little joys. I started listing what I was thankful for throughout the day or each night. I’ll admit there were days when things were not going my way and all I could muster was “indoor plumbing” or “the sun is still shining.” Eventually it morphed into things like the pretty writing on the bottoms of my tea cups drying on the counter or the curl in my son’s hair after his bath or a fresh pack of old-fashioned bubble gum.

Gratitude caused me to slow down and made me more aware of the small miracles all around me. It also prompted me to build more of those things into my everyday life, like treating myself to fresh flowers from the grocery store or collecting pretty kitchen towels instead of using boring one.

Since our boys became able to join us, we have gratitude time as a family and write what we’re thankful for into journals. It’s fun to see what they come up with (Mom’s peanut butter cookies, not having homework) plus they notice things more now, too. “Mom! I found my favorite Lego guy under the couch! I’m writing that in my journal!” They’re getting it.

If you’re feeling like life is moving too fast or like you need to focus more on the positives, here are a few ways to practice gratitude on a regular basis.

  • Try a daily list, as many as you would like. It’s fun to look back to see what caught your eye or grabbed your heart in years past.
  • Tell people you’re thankful for them. It seems so simple but we often think about how much we appreciate someone but rarely express it. A simple, “I really appreciate how you always show up to my kids’ parties, that means a lot to me,” or “Thank you for telling me about that supplement, I feel so much better since I started taking it.”
  • Instead of apologizing for things, express gratitude. Stop saying “So sorry I was late!” and say, “Thank you for waiting for me.”
  • Send thank you notes. It’s a lost art and very appreciated. You can get a pack of eight for a buck at the dollar store or make your own.
  • Take notice of what you’re consistently thankful for. It could be relationships, nature or certain moments. How can you find ways to build more of it into your life?
  • When you’re faced with a stressful situation or tough day, take time to focus on what’s going right and see how it improves your mindset. There’s always something to be thankful for, even if it’s just the chance to start fresh the next day.

Gratitude truly is an anxiety-buster and overcoming anxiety gave me my life back, that’s why I say it saved my life. Now my goal is to be Grateful. Thankful. Blessed. all year long.

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