Gratitude: Living a fulfilled and positive life

I'll be honest, I have found it hard to be grateful lately with so much negative news around. Coronavirus and the impending second lockdown have had me feeling sad and anxious. If you’re struggling like I am, or maybe just looking for more ways to practice self-care, keep in mind to practice more gratitude during the coronavirus outbreak.

I find that gratitude can help by shifting the attention to what’s positive and celebrating the present and diverting our attention away from toxic, negative emotions. Ultimately, gratitude has changed my life because it has made me appreciate what I have rather than what I don't have.

It is not just me, scientists also confirm there are a host of benefits to practicing gratitude. This includes having stronger immune systems, being less bothered by aches and pains, and enjoying better sleep. There are also psychological benefits such as feeling more joy and pleasure, experiencing more optimism, and being happier. Plus on the social side, people can be more helpful, generous, and compassionate, and even report feeling less lonely and isolated (this seems important during the impending lockdown).

These are the tips and tricks that I have picked up that are helping me practice gratitude and to help me through this difficult period that we are in at the moment.

1. Take a moment to tell someone how much they mean to you - this is just a simple act of kindness but it goes a long way to spread positivity and happiness around you. After all, it is nice to know you are appreciated!

2. Share your gratitude with someone else - This is something I have started to do with my kids, taking 5 minutes before bedtime to discuss the things we are all thankful for and what makes us happy.

3. Be thankful and appreciate the little things - take tiny steps to acknowledge the good things in life, no matter how big or small they are. Today I am thankful for my ability to learn new things and how good it is to have the internet to help me learn.

4. Focus on the positive - take time to notice what is going right in life instead of what is going wrong. Dwelling too much on the negative things will cost us happiness. This doesn't mean to ignore bad news but be more alert to the good news.

5. Limit your complaints - don't always find things to complain about if things don't go right. Complaining causes negative emotions & stress so if possible focus more on showing gratitude - see how that affects the people around you.

6. Talk a 'gratitude' walk - I find that taking 20 minutes a day to walk somewhere with an intention to be mindful really beneficial. When I go I just think over: "What am I grateful for in my life?".

7. Remember your manners - simply saying please and thank you show that we do not believe we are entitled to anything, and that then shows that we appreciate whatever comes our way.

8. Helping someone less fortunate - the community spirit shown during the pandemic has been a real shining light. I am always looking for opportunities to help and support others and this, in turn, makes me feel grateful for what I have (I hope this doesn't come across as a humblebrag, it isn't, I just care about others!).

9. Jot down your gratitude - this can be done in many ways, but I like to use an App (Reflectly). This helps me by giving me the opportunity to reflect and focus on what really matters to me as well as offering me encouragement and motivation.

Be gentle with yourself during one of the most stressful time periods in recent human history. Trying to see the bright side of difficult circumstances is beneficial for you and if we all

practice gratitude more regularly, the world will be a better place.

Thanks for taking the time to read this and I hope that you and your loved ones stay safe.

Take care, HR Blogger