Looking for ways how to practice gratitude and mindfulness in your daily life? These tested and approved activities will change your mindset into an attitude of gratitude and have a positive effect on your well-being.
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of daily life. If you’re anything like me, you’re also a chronic overthinker. By learning techniques to be mindful and have a greater sense of gratitude, you are taking a huge step in the right direction to live a more positive and fulfilled life.
Living in the present moment is a much deeper way of living.
Here you will learn what gratitude and mindfulness are, how they will benefit your life, and actions to practice gratitude and mindfulness in your daily life.
After learning how to practice gratitude and mindfulness, you will notice a different quality of life. You will see changes in your mental health, physical health, and even improvements in your sleep.
This post is all about how to practice gratitude and mindfulness with 5 easy actions.
How To Practice Gratitude And Mindfulness
What Are Gratitude And Mindfulness?
What are gratitude and mindfulness? Another question might be, Is practicing gratitude part of mindfulness?
The simple answer is, Yes. In fact, their characteristics are different, but the two absolutely go hand in hand. Taking the time to realize what you are grateful for is being mindful.
Gratitude
The feeling of gratitude is one of many positive emotions. Being grateful is the act of reminding yourself of everything you are thankful for in your current life, many of which you probably take for granted.
Being grateful is being able to stop and see all the positive things around you, no matter how big or small, and appreciate them.
When you can reflect on all the things you are grateful for in your life, you will feel more fulfilled. That, my friend, is such a good feeling.
Examples
Gratitude can be as simple as being thankful for the roof over your head, the car that gets you where you need to go, the beautiful trees in your neighborhood, the shoes on your feet, or the food on your plate.
You can also be thankful for your Gucci purse, your monthly facials, getting your nails done every few weeks, or the job that allows you to do all those things.
Mindfulness
Being mindful is the ability to focus on the present and allow yourself to live from moment to moment. Being mindful is also being conscious and aware of your surroundings, objects, feelings, and experiences you have gone through with no judgment.
When you are mindful, you are aware of life’s challenges and can look at them with a new perspective.
Examples
An example would be,
- Accepting yourself for who you are and treating yourself with respect and without judgment.
- Knowing that you are exactly where you are meant to be in life and living moment-to-moment without thinking about the past or future.
- Accepting experiences you have gone through instead of reacting to them.
The Benefits Of Gratitude And Mindfulness
The benefits of gratitude and mindfulness are so profound that they can change your life and rewire your brain.
Gratitude and mindfulness practice are more important than ever. In this age of technology, where everyone always has a phone in hand, we often forget to be mindful of our surroundings or connection with other people.
You will most likely see someone glaring at their phone anywhere you go. This is why so many people lack connection with the world around them.
Because of the lack of connection in today’s world, we must practice being mindful. There are little things throughout your day that you can do to bring sources of joy outside your phone or technology.
When you become more mindful of yourself and your surroundings, you become more at peace with yourself in the current moment and leave no room for dwelling on the past or future. Thinking of the past or future is a recipe for anxiety and stress.
You can’t help but feel positive emotions when you are mindful of everything you are grateful for in your life.
When you express gratitude and practice mindfulness daily, studies have shown that it will have a positive impact on your life in many different areas, such as;
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Your well-being
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Your mental health
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Your physical health
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Your sleep
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Improved self-esteem and self-care
By taking action to practice gratitude and mindfulness, you will see good things start to happen in your life.
You will be less stressed, resulting in better sleep and well-being. You will be more accepting of yourself, which will help your self-esteem and so on.
The daily practice of gratitude is like the domino effect. Once you start, you will notice more wonderful things aligning in your life one by one.
Gratitude is a vibrational frequency that will attract more of what you are grateful for into your life experience.
5 Ways How To Practice Gratitude And Mindfulness
It is easier than you think to practice gratitude and mindfulness and use them daily. By practicing these valuable tools, you can face life’s challenges with a new mindset and look at the world around you differently.
Journal
Gratitude Journaling is a fulfilling and straightforward way to practice gratitude every morning.
For this activity, I recommend having a journal that you keep by your bedside for easy access. Every morning write down 5-10 things you are grateful for.
For example, you would write. I am grateful for the bed I sleep on every night, I am grateful for the nourishing food I prepare myself and my family throughout the day, I am grateful for my daughter, who I love so much, I am grateful for my job that helps provide for our family, I am thankful for my husband who loves us unconditionally.
When writing these thoughts, you will have feelings of appreciation and happiness. It will ground you each morning and help you start your day on a positive note.
Gratitude Jar
Creating a gratitude jar is fun; you can involve your kids in it too. This can be turned into a fun project for the whole family by getting together and decorating your own jar.
You will need a container with a screw-off lid. Find something like an empty peanut butter or mayonnaise jar. Cut a slit at the top big enough to put small slips of paper into.
At the end of each day, write down a single thing on each paper that you were thankful for that day. You can put a few slips in if multiple things bring you joy.
Anytime you feel negative emotions, pull a few slips out of your jar to remind you of all the beautiful things in your life.
Gratitude Meditation
Meditation and taking deep breaths are great ways to calm your nervous system and center yourself and your mind. There are some really great guided meditations on Youtube. You will be able to find one that resonates with you.
Gratitude meditation is a way to connect with your higher self by focusing on what you are grateful for. You will cultivate more of those good feelings by visualizing the things you are thankful for in your life that bring you happiness.
Mindfulness Meditation
Guided meditations are the best way to meditate. I always suggest finding guided meditations on youtube or other websites. This way, you have a structured meditation that is easier to focus on.
Meditation is a great way to get back into feelings of love, happiness, and appreciation.
Ignite Your Senses
I love this practice because it helps you ground yourself and be present in the moment. You can do this anywhere and at any time.
Stop what you’re doing, put down your phone, and take in your environment. What do you see in your surroundings? What noises do you hear? What do you smell? How does the weather feel on your skin? If you are eating or drinking something, how does it taste?
Really stop and soak it all in. Live in the moment. It may even turn into a very memorable moment.
Final Thoughts
Furthermore, when we are in a state of gratitude, we are actually being mindful of the things In our life that we love and appreciate. This is why they both go hand in hand.
By practicing gratitude and mindfulness, you cultivate positive feelings that radiate into the universe, bringing you more loving feelings. The more you appreciate and live in the current moment, the less stress and anxiety you will have about your future.
It’s a gratifying feeling to be grateful for the things you do have and I know firsthand that taking objects or situations for granted can be so easy. Practice living life moment by moment, and you will see the things around you change.
Debbie says
Great reminder to practice gratitude and mindfulness in our lives. My favorite tip was to create a gratitude jar. I love that you included the instructions and ideas to implement it all!
Haley Murphy says
Im glad you enjoyed this post. I love the gratitude jar, I can’t wait to show my daughter how to use one when she’s little older.
Belle says
Such an important reminder. Thank you! 🙂
Pantea says
I love this article! I’m an LCSW that practices positive psychology with my clients. There are numerous benefits of practicing gratitude backed by science and I talk about other ways to practice gratitude in my article https://pantearahimian.com/how-to-start-a-gratitude-practice-and-change-your-life/
Nothile says
In a world filled with negativity, it can be difficult to be grateful. Thank you for the reminder and guidance on how to get there.
Holly says
Love these tips.. so easy to forget when you’re in the trenches of being a stay at home mom with three little ones, but definitely needed on a daily basis. Great read!
Simplitty.com says
Nice post. Worth to remember.
Anthony says
One of my favorite parts of the day is when I get to lay under the stars and reflect to the sounds of nature. It truly is a wonder
Ashley McClain says
I love this so much. One thing I have been working on is expressing more gratitude in my life.
Haley Murphy says
Im so happy to hear that. Learning to express gratitude daily is such a game changer in overall happiness.