Years ago, through a series of health issues that seemed to come out of no where, I was left with lots of pain. Darkness began to saturate my thoughts. Pain really does lead to fear...fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate and hate leads to suffering. Yes, Yoda is a wise one. But so was the Buddha who also spoke of suffering. Anyway, through a series of steps, hard steps, I began to turn my thoughts back to what was best for me. That meant getting rid of dead weight. People who did not support my new habits and ways of life. That part was really hard, but necessary. As necessary as breathing because you have to surround yourself with what you are trying to become. That is one of my top shared quotes as said by me, Aimee Halpin. So let's look at some prompts to help you create new habits of the mind.
Gratitude Prompts:
- What does it mean to be grateful? Write a few words about what it means to you.
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Who do I appreciate? Think long and hard about this one if necessary.
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What abilities do I have that I'm grateful for or what am I proud of that I recently accomplished? It can be going to the store. It's that easy.
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What experiences have I had that I am grateful for? Have you ever thought about thanking your body? Weird, I know. But just ponder that for a minute.
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What opportunities do I have that I am thankful for that others might not have? If you are unsure, write down 3 synonyms for gratitude and see what comes up in your mind.
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What am I taking for granted that, if I stop to think about it, I am grateful for that perhaps others don't have? Reflect on something that perhaps even made you stronger than you were before it happened.
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What is different today than it was a year ago that has really helped me be grateful? Maybe even something that you learned to grow in a way you never thought possible.
- Write down ways that you find balance in your life that you can be grateful for...and if you don't have self-care practices in place, write ways to add them to your life.
These few suggestions can help change your mindset if you even do one a week. Don't wait for the right time to think of being grateful...practice it daily. If you can elaborate on the things that are going right in your life, you start to focus energy on the good and more good will be seen...therefore, more good will appear to really come your way. Don't forget to give it a real chance. It takes time to change your thoughts and methods.
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