Hey Lovelies,
So I recently had a friend who reached out to me for the first time in months and they asked “Could you pray for me?”
There I was about to go to sleep and I stayed up not knowing that they needed me at that moment. They told me they were feeling anxious and they really needed some help.
You see everything in their life was working in their favor but they felt like it was almost too good to be true. That’s when I told them you have to have gratitude for the blessings in your life that were designed for you.
That’s why I felt like it was so important for me to practice gratitude as a monthly challenge. Too often to many of us don’t stop to appreciate what we have and how our presence has purpose.
We say things like “When I make this amount of money, then I’ll be happy” or “When I graduate then I’ll be thankful for all the supporters I had.”
But gratitude doesn’t work like that, gratitude is a spiritual practice that allows us to recognize the good in our lives.
My understanding of gratitude is an appreciation for what you have. You may not always get what you want but you better make sure you’re grateful for what you have.
And when you put positive thoughts into the universe, good things and positive energy come back to you. This is something I’ve wanted to practice for a while and I found the cutest gratitude jar on Amazon.
It came with these little paper hearts and I added some notebook paper to make it last 30 days. I had already found the perfect gratitude challenge on Pinterest.
Honestly, you can write about anything that you are grateful for and stuff it in a homemade jar or box. I like that you can personalize it by writing in a journal or even on your iPhone.
I’m grateful for this challenge because I realize how many people want me to win and that success is all about your perspective.
I’m rich in so many intangible ways and blessed in abundance with a supportive family, friends, and I have my health and self-love.
Here are a few ways to cultivate gratitude beyond this challenge!
Write About Someone You're Thankful For
Expressing your love and compassion for someone who you care about is a great exercise to build the relationship and make the bond even stronger. This person can be a friend, a family member, a neighbor, or even a stranger.
Take the time to write it down as a letter to send them or even better share it with them in person.
Running low on time? Give them a call or send a text message. If you’re not ready to share you can always keep a mental note and write it in as a private thought. It’s a nice way to put positive thoughts into the atmosphere and connect with others.
Keep A Gratitude Journal
I found this really great journal to continue my journey of gratitude which you can find here.
You can make it a habit to write down who and what you are grateful for daily. It can be anything from the past, present, or future.
And when you are done you can look back and read through all the little moments that are meaningful to you.
Pray Everyday
For those who are religious and even some who are not, it’s important to find a quiet place where you can count your blessings.
Pick a spot in your home and a time of day when you can reflect for a minute or two on what you are grateful for. It can be really cathartic to practice gratitude.
Meditate
For my next monthly challenge, I will be focusing on mindfulness. This is a great way to clear your thoughts and manage any stressors in your life.
There are many different ways to meditate from journaling your thoughts to painting a picture to sitting outside to feel the warmth of the sun to even listening to music.
When you allow yourself to come into a space fully open and present with your body and your breath you can find gratitude and restoration.
Lastly, I am grateful for everyone who took the time to read this post today, and those who continue to support this blog!
Have you tried a gratitude challenge before?
Want to learn more about gratitude?
Do you have another challenge you want me to try?
Leave a comment down below sharing your thoughts!
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