Often, we get so caught up in routine living that we forget to take a look at the good around us. There are so many things that bring us joy. It’s easy to overlook them or take them for granted.
Taking a moment to observe and feel a deep appreciation for what we do have positively affects our overall well-being. When you are grateful for what you have, you shift your focus. You start to notice the joy that surrounds you. This helps you live life with greater satisfaction and happiness.
Doing gratitude meditation each day helps integrate the practice into your routine life. But how to do that? We’ll break down the entire process into easy, stepwise instructions so you can start practicing it in no time.
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6 Simple Ways to Practicing Gratitude Daily
1. Set Your Intentions
Setting an intention isn’t just important in life, but also while beginning gratitude meditation. It helps you meditate with more mindfulness and focus on the present moment.
It is simple to set an intention. Just pick something that will help you or hold meaning for you. For example, you may want to come out of the meditation with a renewed sense of clarity. Maybe you want to cultivate a mindset to notice positive things even in challenging circumstances. Intention can be as simple as just feeling more joyful and positive.
Set an intention for this meditation, which will help guide your thoughts toward meaningful results.
2. Create Your Meditation Space
Creating a dedicated meditation space will help you feel more connected to the practice. Remember, this is your time. Proper focus is essential to getting the maximum out of the practice. So, create a space free from distractions.
You don’t have to dedicate a separate room for the practice. Simply dedicating a corner of your room or any other space where you spend most of your time will suffice. You can go a step further and customize the space according to your liking. For example, you can put a card somewhere containing a gratitude quote. This will make you more motivated to begin your practice daily.
3. Bring Your Focus to the Present Moment
Now that you have a designated space for meditation sit down (preferably in a cross-legged position) and get comfortable. If you don’t feel like sitting, lie down. Now, bring your awareness to your body. Take a few seconds to scan each part of your body, starting from your head and ending at your toes.
Observe any areas of tension. For example, when you bring your attention to your face, you might find that your jaws are too tight. Relax the jaw muscles. Try to let go of all tension in the body.
Once that is done, shift your awareness to your breath. Take slow, deep breaths. As you do this, your focus should be on the inhalation and exhalation of the air. Thoughts will inevitably arise. When they do, simply shift your focus back to your breath. Don’t get caught up in them. This will instantly bring you to the present moment.
4. Reflect on the Good in Your Life
The above practice will ground you in the present moment. The next step is to think about everything you are grateful for. You don’t have to rack your brain trying to search everything. Just lightly think about the positive things in your life. It can be simple or big.
For example, you might feel grateful for your family, your pet, or your job. You can also feel grateful for the fact that you are alive. All of these are basic things, and it is very easy to take them for granted. However, noticing them instills a sense of deep appreciation for life.
Regularly doing so will move your focus to the positive aspects of your life. This is key to living a contented life.
5. Close the Meditation by Thanking Yourself
The time has come to close the meditation. The best way to do so is to thank yourself. Put your hands together in front of your chest. Hug yourself, reminding yourself of how strong you are. Thank yourself for taking time out to thank the small and big things in life. This will help you turn the feeling of gratitude toward yourself. It is a powerful way to close the meditation.
6. Go to Sleep
How we go to sleep each day sets up the tone of the next day. You may have observed that when you go to sleep feeling disturbed or anxious, you wake up feeling the same way. As soon as you open your eyes, you are reminded of all the worries of yesterday.
Gratitude meditation before sleep shifts this situation completely. When you sleep thinking of all the positive things in your life, you wake up in a better mood. Ending your day with a sense of gratitude can also help improve the quality of your sleep. Over time, it fosters a positive mindset, which is essential to living happily.
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Other Ways to Practice Gratitude
Noticing the little moments of joy every day can be incredibly beneficial for your well-being. Here are some other ways to feel more grateful as you go about your life.
- Keep a gratitude journal. Anytime you come across something that makes you happy, jot it down on it. You can also use an app if carrying a journal around seems tedious.
- Notice the small things. You may have had an interaction with a new coworker which you greatly enjoyed. Be thankful for that. There are no small or big things when it comes to gratitude.
- Reflect on your challenges. Take some time to appreciate yourself and how you dealt with a tough situation. Be grateful for your ability to cope with it.
- Perform small actions of kindness without expecting anything. For example, you can help out a friend with some work or offer a seat to an elderly in public transport.
Summing Up
Gratitude meditation helps you divert your attention to the joys of life. Over time, you will observe an improvement in your mood and the way you interact with others. Starting this meditation is very simple. However, ensure that you make it a regular part of your routine. This is key to living a content and happy life.
