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10 Easy Ways to Bring Gratitude into Your Life

Guestpert

Mr. Peter Bedard MA, C.Ht.

Category

Health, Fitness, and Beauty

After a near-death experience, Peter Bedard was faced with the greatest challenge of all: Living a life in severe physical, emotional, and spiritual pain. The former dancer soon discovered that the anger and frustration he felt because of his injuries were not only keeping him in pain, but were waiting to teach him the greatest gifts of his life.   Now, a celebrated author and healer, he helps thousands of people globally to live a life of full potential while integrating the lessons of pain into balanced living. Peter is the owner of ConvergenceHealingTeas.com and Peter's book, Convergence Healing: Healing Pain with Energetic Love, is in bookstores now! His newest book, "When Happiness is Work, A 30 Day Guide to Creating a Life of Joy and Healing Depression" is taking pre-orders NOW prior to publication!

Did you know that the action of gratitude can actually change your life? Gratitude has been shown to “re-wire” the brain and improve both mental and physical health. In a world where many of us are constantly feeling bullied, whether it be by a boss or our own beliefs about success, it can be a struggle to stay focused on what is important in life. So often we become overwhelmed by our fears, feelings of unworthiness, and a constant nagging that we simply are not enough. A practice of gratitude is the perfect solution for stepping out of that grind and becoming more conscious of who we are, how we are, and to regain a healthy perspective on life and the things we say we value. Below are 10 things you can do to pretty effortlessly shift your attention away from the pain of fearful living towards a fresh attitude of gratitude.

 

Gratitude Box - Find a shoe box or some kind of container, decorate it with words of gratitude, cut a slit in the top, and every time you walk by it take a piece of scratch paper, write down something you're grateful for on it, and place it in the box.

 

Chant - So often people have a obsessive thought running through their heads that seems to dominate their thinking. Creating a "chant" that counters that thought can turn around their mood and re-wire the brain. I often work with my clients to create their personal chant as the more meaning it has for them the more powerful it will be. A recent chant from a client was, "I appreciate myself and my body." Once the chant is created I have them practice saying it very slowly drawing out the individual words and sounds and speaking it out loud on a long exhale. It sounds something like this, "IIIIIIIII aapppppreeccciiate myyyyyssseellf aaannnddd mmmmyyy booooddddy."

 

Argumentative Therapy - This is a process I developed to directly tackle the negative voices one may hear and switch thinking patterns from a victim to a creator mentality. 
Step 1) State the purpose you're arguing for. In this example we will use the experience of feeling unworthy.

Step 2) Identify the divine attribute of the Universe associated with the purpose. In this example, the divine attribute would be love. If the persona was arguing for financial freedom for example, the divine attribute would be abundance.

Step 3) Out loud, state your purpose - "I am loved"

Step 4) If/when a voice pops into your head saying something like, "No you're not", you call out that voice even saying out loud what you heard.

Step 5) Argue with that voice/statement - For example, "I hear that part of me that tries to tell me I am unworthy and not loveable. I hear that part and I know that is a lie. I am a divine emanation of the Universe. The Divine spark of God lives within me. I am made of God and as I am of God, God is of me. We are part of the Divine and I accept myself as a divine creation of God. God is love so it follows that as God is love and that I am of God therefore I am love. Love flows through me. I was created in the image and of the energy that is love...that is God!"

Step 6) Continue this process until the fearful/negative voices have quieted.

 

Social Media - Most of us are on some sort of social media, go online and send a compliment to one of your friends that you haven't connected with in a while. Connecting with another person and doing this random act of kindness can change your entire day...and theirs.

 

Nature - Go outside, or to an open park like space, and look around and as you look around at the grass, tress, and shrubs, say out loud all the things that you can find beauty in. "Hello Tree! You're looking good today! Thanks for giving me the air to breathe!"

 

Write - Some people like to keep a gratitude journal and write in it every morning 5 or 10 things every day that they are grateful for. This is an awesome practice and if you're having a rough day simply pick up some paper and a pen and write as many things you can that you can be grateful for. For example, if you're sitting at your desk feeling particularly gloomy, you could write down - I'm so grateful for...

1) this pen that I can write with
2) the fact that I can write
3) the paper I'm writing on
4) this desk that supports me in getting my work done
5) the air that I'm breathing
6) the clothes that I'm wearing
7) the opportunity that is in front of me
8) the lessons that I'm learning right now
9) my friends
10) etc.

Keep going until you notice your mood shifting...

 

Send a Card - Getting mail is still something that is fun for most people, especially when it's a personal card and not a bill. I sometimes send random cards to friends, family members, and even my clients. I've even sent a few cards to myself and forgotten about them until I found them in the mail several days later. It's amazing what a card can do to lift someone's spirits. I like doing this so much that I signed up for a super cool online service that allows me to send hard-copy greeting cards. I go online, pick a card, write a message, and the company prints it, stamps it, and takes it to the Post Office for me!

 

Take a Walk - Just being outside can shift your entire sense of self.

 

Mindful Breathing - Take long deep breathes and practice counting to ten on both the inhale and the exhale. As you do this you can go over your gratitude list or even think about all the things that you're seeing in the moment that you are grateful for.

 

Do Something Nice for Yourself - People are always putting off the things they like. Whether it is a vacation or an article of clothing, we have this tendency to tell ourselves that we will do something we enjoy AFTER everything else is taken care of...after the bills are paid off, after everyone else has what they need, etc. Go do something nice for yourself now. I get a pedicure every six weeks and going is like a treat because my feet feel good and I love the massage. 

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