I thought I was grateful when I first heard about gratitude. I have lots of things to be grateful for. However, when I saw the dirty dishes in the sink, or the laundry piling up gratitude slipped out the window and overwhelmed annoyance flew in. Sometimes, I feel like I will never catch up on household things.
I really didn't know how to practice gratitude. As a mom of three young children, practicing gratitude can be challenging. I LOVE my kids with my whole heart, but there are times when the boys are fighting and my daughter is crying while dinner in the oven is burning and the dogs bark to go outside to the bathroom. How could I find gratitude in that? I thought I didn't have a moment to be grateful. I have lots of things to do. How could I be constantly grateful? Then I heard about gratitude routines - ARE YOU CRAZY? In my already packed schedule, I thought I wouldn't have time for another routine.
Thankfully, I had a little bit of willingness to give it a try. I promised myself I would take all suggestions from my spiritual mentor and put them into action. I plan to keep that promise no matter how much hesitation I feel before I do it.
I started small by listing in a journal every morning three things I am grateful for and three things at night I am grateful for. This shifted my thinking tremendously. I found that making time for gratitude helped me feel more productive and ready to tackle the day with an open heart. I also felt more aware of my own blessings, things I previously took for granted or things that never crossed my mind.
As the days passed I started thinking of things throughout the day that I would write about at night. My thinking was slowly changing.
Over time and LOTS of practice, I switched my thinking. Throughout the day I found myself more present and happier. I was on a higher vibration than before. Gratitude didn't feel like something I had to do, but rather a natural part of me. For example when all three children need something at once I remind myself how lucky I am to know such love as the love between a mother and child. I remind myself we are lucky to have clothes to wear, and when food gets burned, we are lucky to have food to eat.
Finding gratitude in everyday moments allowed me to shift my perspective and appreciate the small joys and blessings that often remain unnoticed. It helped me feel contentment and present, even in chaos of everyday life.
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