The idea of ‘practicing’ gratitude sounds just a little bit wanky I know, but there is a heap of scientific evidence that proves people who practice gratitude in their daily lives are better off than those who do not. ‘People who regularly practice gratitude by taking time to notice and reflect upon the things they’re thankful for experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better (they obviously don’t have small children), express more compassion and kindness, and even have stronger immune systems.’ (Derrick Carpenter, happify.com).
I have to say, I am a big fan. There is A LOT to be grateful for.
I do not keep a ‘gratitude journal’, mainly because I know myself well enough to be sure I wouldn’t keep doing it past about four days, but also because I don’t think you have to write something down to be grateful for it. You just need to take a moment to be thankful.
This morning when my beautiful baby woke at 5am, not with a happy gurgle but with an angry cry, I wanted to lose myself under the covers and pretend I couldn’t hear him. I was not, in that moment, grateful for an early rising baby. But each morning when I make the baby his bottle, I make myself a nice strong coffee – just the way I like it. I am very grateful for that coffee and it helps me to reframe my thinking from ‘OH DEAR GOD HOW AM I GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS DAY WITH SO LITTLE SLEEP’ to ‘Yesss…at least now I can get up and enjoy a solitary cup of coffee while the baby chugs down his bottle.’ It’s during that time that I wake myself up and get mentally prepared for the day ahead. It was during that time that I wrote a blog post about how I was feeling and I am very, very grateful for the kind support that you all granted to me.
It made me decide to really focus on all of the little things that I am grateful for today.
Just today.
I AM GRATEFUL FOR:
- The feel of Sid’s excited legs kicking me as I carried him down to Bobby’s bedroom this morning. He knew where we were going.
- The look of joy on Bobby’s face when he saw us both walk into his room.
- The sunny weather that allowed us to play outside for a good portion of the morning.
- Bobby ‘helping’ me to load the washing machine.
- Watching the boys play in the shower together.
- Bobby’s Nan and Pop taking him for a play so that I could so some shopping. The offer from my Mum to look after Sid. I am grateful for grandparents EVERYDAY.
- Filling our house with food again after our stores were very much depleted. I actually used formula as the milk for the boys weetbix this morning because I keep forgetting to stock up on long life milk for when we run out! Worked like a charm though.
- My Dyson handheld vacuum cleaner. It is our fifth family member.
- Sid learning to move, it’s a laborious commando style but at least he can get to things. He’s finding mundane household items extremely exciting at the moment!
- Both boys napping at the same time so I have a chance to write this blog.
- Listening to a great podcast while folding the washing. Instead of hating the chore I looked forward to it. (Must try this with exercise!)
- Christmas in the air! I LOVE Christmas and this year will be so special because Bobby understands it a bit more. I have promised him we will set the tree up tonight.
- This blog site having ‘autosave’ because my computer just froze and I would’ve lost everything I’d written!
I am no Pollyanna, I don’t practice gratitude every second of every day, but it is by viewing life through a lens of gratitude that we are able to reframe negative experiences into positive ones.
I have so much to be grateful for every day. Reflecting on all of those wonderful little things is helpful to me because it means that when something less positive happens, I am more ready to bounce back from it (after a little whinge on social media!). I think gratitude and resilience possibly go hand in hand, at least with little everyday things anyway.
Don’t worry, I’m not about to go posting daily pictures of the mundane things I am grateful for, though I may love my full bowl of fruit I don’t think it would rock your socks off. And I’m not trying to portray myself as the image of zen, what a load of codswallop that would be, I still get overwhelmed and frustrated just like the next person (my beautiful Mum describes us both by saying ‘we laugh easy and we cry easy’) but it helps me to keep it all in perspective…most of the time!
Life is all about the little things and that is what I am most grateful for.
Eliza xx
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