Gratitude and Vulnerability - My top 5 practices of gratitude

I thought that everyone was born grateful. Isn't that a basic skill that we are all taught as children? " say please and thank you, manners cost nothing." How many times did I hear that phrase growing up ? Is this just a me thing? Surely not. However if this is a basic skill or etiquette learned from our parents surely we would not have any need for gratitude journals or blog posts like this to talk about it like a broken record. Then I came across a sentence while reading something else unrelated that said " gratefulness is of the heart."

Suddenly everything changes, now gratitude is no longer an act of being well mannered, now I get it. Now I understand why being grateful makes me feel good. Gratitude can not be a fake act toward another, nor a lie we tell ourselves. It must come from the depths of our heart and when we connect the heart with an act of gratitude then and only then can we feel the true emotion of Love. Love and gratitude are connected and come from the heart. Body, mind and soul working together.

How to show gratitude

We often show gratitude even if we are unaware of it when we are feeling vulnerable. Brene Brown defines vulnerability as " uncertainty, risk and emotional exposure." many of us believe that vulnerability is a sign of weakness- in her book daring deeply- Brene Brown explains vulnerability as a sign of courage and serves in the birthplace of love, belonging and joy.

I would add that gratitude flows when we are most afraid. We begin to appreciate more when we are faced with pending loss, tragedy or a challenge in life. Wouldn't life be so much more rewarding if we were grateful for what we currently have without the need of fear?

why should we show gratitude

There are many wonderful benefits to showing gratitude, not only to one another but also for all that we have in our lives. It would appear that those of us who lead a more humble life are more grateful than those of us who have what is commonly referred to as a charmed life. The more we have the more we want, it is no longer an act of gratitude but a life of expectation and entitlement.

We must learn the practice of gratitude not to make ourselves ego driven and glorified by the responses of others but because it makes us feel good from within.

Gratitude is the link between body, mind and soul.

It is well documented that the act of gratitude is a benefit for our mental health, heart health, stress relief and can also improve our sleep. There are many studies that have proven that the simple act of being grateful can relieve depression.

My top 5 gratitude practices

1. Morning gratitude reminders

2. quiet time

3. Grace

4. Love and Compassion

5. Inspiration

Morning Gratitude Reminders

Not every morning will be a good morning. Some days you may feel tired or you may have a schedule that is less than exciting, however before your mind wanders off to the chaos of the day ahead, practice these 3 reminders- your morning affirmations if you like.

• Thank you for this new day

• Today I will be kind and gentle to everyone I meet.

• I am grateful for the opportunity to live my life.
  

Quiet time

Gratitude is of the heart. Time to connect with your heart. Stop the chatter in your mind. Meditation is a great way to slow down your fast paced life, if that is not for your, simply sit quietly, and be in this moment, be grateful for this space and time to be with you.

Grace

When was the last time you said grace before a meal? its been way too long for me, probably school when it was compulsory before lunch. saying grace for the food on your table is a great way to show gratitude, never more important than it is now, the cost of living soars daily, yet all too often we don't even stop to be grateful for what is on our table, for the efforts of the producers or the struggles of the delivery drivers in such difficult times. Perhaps this is the best time to begin this practice.

Love and Compassion

When we show love and compassion to others it connects us to our hearts. The warm fuzzy feeling is no coincidence, it is connection. We all have challenges in life of one kind or another, we can be grateful for the lessons learned, being grateful that they do not last forever. Cultivating love even for those who are being unkind to us , being compassionate to those who are hurting is the deepest form of gratitude.

Inspiration

The practice of gratitude does not simply happen. It is a discipline that we must work on daily, to help us foster those feelings of love, compassion, kindness, joy. We can all do with a little inspiration. Inspiration is the driving force behind gratitude. Sometimes we need to be inspired by the acts of others. When we see the gratitude of another it inspires us to be grateful too. We can find inspiration in many forms, movies, theatre, documentaries, courses and books. Our lives are filled with so much horror, news stories, action movies and daily life. To live a life of love and gratitude we must surround ourselves with people and media that share our mindset of love and gratitude.

Gratitude Journaling

Another great way to keep the focus of gratitude is to start a gratitude journal. Its a beautiful way to be present and reminded of what we have in life, to be grateful for. This does not have to be scary. if you aren't fond of writing you can have a more visual journal, save pictures of all the things you are grateful for, or if you are more artistic, perhaps you could draw or paint designs of gratitude. There is no right or wrong way to journal, only one rule, be consistent.

When you begin to document what you are grateful for the more you find to be grateful for.

Gratitude journal prompts

• what does gratitude mean to you ?

• write about someone who has had a positive influence on your life

• what scent makes you feel loved?

• Describe one aspect of your life that has changed you for the better.

• What are you most grateful for right now ?

In conclusion- gratitude is a connection between heart and mind. Being grateful not only benefits those around us, it also fills our hearts with love. Vulnerability leads to gratitude, we are not showing weakness when we show vulnerability we are showing courage and strength. Gratitude is a health benefit that we can all benefit from. Gratitude is more than an attitude is should be a way of life.

xx Lei

What makes you vulnerable makes you beautiful - Brene Brown