5 Gratitude Practices to Keep You Healthy and Creative
Simple Ways to Relieve Stress
Many of you have spoken to me of feeling “fuzzy”, or demotivated and uninspired. Some of you mentioned, “just going through the motions.” And you have told me how you speed from one thing to another until you’re exhausted. You feel busy but produce nothing meaningful.
I want to take a moment and share these five practices that I recommend to my clients. These will help ease the undercurrent of stress you may be feeling. They will help you get back in touch with optimism, creativity, and inspiration. They’re simple, but they work.
5 PRACTICES TO HELP YOU RECONNECT TO WHAT MATTERS
1. Quiet time. Unless you have stillness in your life, you cannot hear the wisdom you already hold in your heart. You know exactly what you need to do; you only have to listen and act on your own wise counsel.
2. Nature. There is no better antidote for sadness or a better way to connect to yourself than a walk in nature. She shows you the truth of things. The natural cycle provides lessons on impermanence and rebirth, which apply to your own life.
3. Self-Love. Self-love leads to self-care, self-esteem, and self-confidence. It is the basis of your primary relationship with self, so you can then be present to love in others. Every morning, breathe in goodness and appreciation for your life.
4. Gratitude. Even in the darkest days, you can find something to be grateful for. Keep a gratitude jar in your kitchen, writing small notes to yourself every day. When things are difficult, you can pull a note and remember the blessings life gives to you.
5. Meditation. Daily meditation, a contemplative practice, or prayer keep you connected to greater wisdom and purpose so that the challenges of daily living remain in perspective. Starting your day with meditation, no matter how little time it takes, provides clarity and presence for the day. Meditation can be as simple as intentionally cooking your breakfast or walking outside into the morning light with an open heart.
Incorporate these simple five practices in your life, and you’ll notice more energy, joy, and focus for those things that truly matter to you.
In today’s chaotic environment, you need to access what brings you alive. No matter how busy, you can incorporate these practices into your life. I use these in my writing practice, and they help me still my mind.
