The Muscle of Gratitude (+ 4 Ways to Strengthen It)

Today I had the kind of day that I used to live for – busy.

I got up, drove my mom to work (1/2 because she is still recovering from foot surgery and 1/2 because my ’99 CRV, Old Bessie, has been deemed too dangerous to drive), hit the bank and the post office, went to acupuncture, headed to the cafe for lunch and to get some homework done, then visited my mom at her office because an old co-worker and her kids were visiting (we had some fun with snapchat filters – see below!).

I felt energetic and productive. After the past three weeks, which included both an autoimmune flare and a cold, I was so grateful to have the energy to check some things off my “to do” list.

I used to have these days often (a.k.a. pre-Sjogren’s), where I packed in a million errands and hit up tons of places. I used to be able to go, go, go. Now, I’m not saying I’m like a grandma now. But I do have to make sure to take it easy and store up my energy so I don’t hit a wall.

Some days when I’m super low on energy, I really resent the fact that I can’t go out and do all of the things I used to be able to do in a day. Even though I’ve learned so much about the importance of self-care and resting, I still have those days where I almost feel like a failure for not being able to do what I used to.

BUT, here’s what I have learned.

You have to practice gratitude on both the good and the bad days.

When you’re feeling on top of the world, enjoy it. Stay in the moment and relish the feeling. And then when you’re feeling low, remember that there are still good things all around. You don’t have to be on top of the world all the time. That’s impossible. But you can find the good in the little things.

Today I had a productive, busy day and I feel really good about that. But tomorrow, if I’m low on energy and can’t get to everything on my to-do list, then I’ll find other things to be grateful for.

Gratitude is like a muscle.

The more you use it, the stronger it gets. If you do bicep curls and your biceps will grow stronger.

If you mindfully and purposefully practice gratitude, then your ability to be grateful will grow stronger.

How do you mindfully and purposefully practice gratitude?

It’s simple. Here are a few ways:

• For a day, or even just an hour, find a reason to be grateful for each action you do.
  • When you first wake up, be grateful you lived through the night
  • When you get into the shower, be grateful you have running water
  • When you eat breakfast, be grateful you have food to eat, and so on
• In a particularly bad moment, write down a list of things you’re grateful for.
  • It can be anything from your family/friends, to your health, to your favorite television show
• Keep a gratitude journal
  • Unlike the first two, which are things you may do once in a while, a gratitude journal is a way to cultivate more gratitude over time
  • Choose a time to journal (perhaps before bed) and write down specific things you were grateful for every day
• Keep a gratitude jar
  • If you are hit with a wave of gratitude in any specific moment, write it down on a piece of paper, fold it up, and put in in a jar (repeat, repeat, repeat)
  • When you’re feeling low, pull out one or two (or as many as you need) and remind yourself of reasons you’ve been grateful before

Thanksgiving isn’t the only day of the year you should practice giving thanks. If you practice it every day, you’ll strength that muscle, and pretty soon you’ll be flexing it more and more.

Leave a comment below with something you’re grateful for today!