November is gratitude month! In case you haven’t started a gratitude practice this season, let this blog post be a gentle reminder that now is the time! I challenge you to join me in prioritizing actions and a mindset of thankfulness for the month!
Did you know that truly feeling grateful and letting that state guide your day has scientifically-backed benefits for your overall heath? Studies show that gratitude reduces stress, anxiety, depression, pain, and builds an overall rapport of satisfaction with one’s life.
Learn more about the power of gratitude and other practices that can change your life, here.
Mindset has powerful control over your body’s systems and organs. Your brain is interpreting the world around you and sending those signals to your gut, hormones, immune system, and more.
How are you interpreting your environment and the people in your life? A stressed-out, hurt, angry, or disconnected energy will manifest in your body.
So, let’s get started on this week’s moment of thankfulness and start seeing the benefits unfold in your life! (Interestingly enough, through the eyes of gratitude, you’ll likely see more benefits.)
For week 1, we’re starting with Y-O-U.
You need to celebrate yourself; appreciate yourself; show gratitude and love for the body that you have! Where have you been in life, where have you gotten? What have you done for yourself that you’re proud of. Reflect on those things.
Here is a blog I wrote on how your personal health is affected when you maintain a negative mindset and don’t practice self-gratitude.
You cannot serve others unless you fill yourself up with knowledge and experience, rest, proper nutrients, and self love! Running on empty will leave you bitter and exhausted. It can feel like you’re beating yourself up when you’re living your purpose but not making time to take care of yourself.
My personality type has a tendency to put others before myself. I truly love others and want to help however I can. Often, people with this same personality type might feel that others lose respect for them and their time. They can feel walked on and abused – and that can turn to some negative self talk.
Do you suffer from negative self-talk? This is the perfect time to work on turning that around. In your gratitude journal this week, write down what you love about yourself! If you’re struggling with thinking of anything, write down what other people love about you. Follow the prompts on the calendar!
Week 2 is about practicing gratitude in the moment.
What is happiness to you?
At one point, I would have answered that my happiness was defined by the health, well-being and happiness of the people I love. But over time, I’ve realized that it’s so much more than that.Happiness is looking at what is right in front of me and feeling content. It’s all about simplicity. I wake up in the morning and, if I give myself that extra five minutes in bed to go over my affirmations, mantras, and gratitude list, I start my day feeling grounded and excited. I’m happy because it’s a brand new day and anything can happen.When you simplify, and can stay unattached, there are countless moments throughout a day that can be amazing and gratifying. When I look around me, taking in that which is my life—the people who are in it—to see what I’ve created for myself and for others, I am content. I am grounded, and I am grateful.
Focus on practicing true presence in this week- from the food you eat, to the people you’re with, to the world around you! Be in a state of gratitude for where you are NOW. From your career, to your home, to your relationships, to just being present with your meals, you are working on PRESENCE.
Week 3 is about being thankful for the PEOPLE in your life.
It’s truly about THE PEOPLE in your life! Isn’t it?
That sense of fulfillment from a purpose-driven life seems to always come down to serving. Serving people! From our families, to our friends, to strangers, to humanity. We want to feel loved, we want to feel known and heard. These intrinsic human desires revolve around community and relationship.
The father who teaches his daughter to see the magic in making meals.
The business woman who forges a path for future female generations to rise.
The doctor who finds the right protocol to heal her patient.
The mentor who shares his secrets to success in the hopes of seeing his apprentice beat the system.
It’s so important to show gratitude for the people in your life! Whether you want to simply thank them and reflect internally, or show them that they’re important to you in some way, I encourage you to join me this month!
If you’re struggling to be grateful for others, and feeling jealous or bitter about the way your life is going, you might find it helpful to read this blog I wrote. Keeping a positive mind can be difficult when you’re always comparing yourself to others. You’re sure to experience discontentment when you attempt to measure your journey against someone else’s journey.
Even when feelings of jealousy or doubt arise, the power of gratitude can help you look beyond what’s immediately in front of you and remain thankful for the blessings to come.
Week 4 is gratitude for your future!
Thankful For The Person You’ll Be Tomorrow
Everything the human race has created started in the mind. Keeping control of your mind will be the basis of creating the world around you the way you want it to be. It will allow you to reach goals, realize dreams, find love, and more.
You’ve heard the saying before “you get what you ask for?” Whether you believe in it or not, you are part of the laws of attraction that play out in the universe. The laws of attraction will impact you no matter what, and what you will attract what you put out. Your next thought after that may be, “Well, I want to attract positive, empowering, joyful, peaceful, plentiful, fun, loving energies into my world.” You can definitely create that reality! That is called manifestation.
Practicing gratitude for your future- the future you desire for yourself and the one that is divinely meant for you- is one important part of manifesting your dream life.
As you move along in your journey and down your path, you may find that the life you are living years from now is better than anything you could have dreamed of.
What if I am too upset to practice gratitude for anything?
Whether it’s a block, exhaustion, hurt, or emotions (that you have a right to feel and process)… sometimes you just can’t make yourself drop into that positive mental state. You don’t feel thankful for anything, and that is okay.
Especially as we get closer to the holiday season, expectations and family drama can cause more stress than the joy that the holidays are meant for.
Maybe work and finances are pushing you towards burnout. That was how I felt a couple days last week.
I am very serious about maintaining a routine especially with my practices. Gratitude and mindset practices are a part of every day for me. Still, every once in a while there can be a SERIOUS block in the way of grounding myself, staying neutral and feeling thankful and at peace despite uncontrollable circumstances, or seeing a bigger picture.
Here’s what to do when you’re “IN IT”
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- Identify the emotions you’re feeling and process what is causing them. Take a step back out of yourself and look from a third person point of view.
- Give yourself grace.
- Breathe. Go for a walk or move your body – just get some space and a sunlight if you can.
- Talk to someone you trust who has your best interest at heart. Someone who speaks truth into your life no matter if it hurts your feelings or not.
- Use different words. Instead of using words with a negative emotional mindset like “overwhelmed” or “stressed”, use empowering words like “abundant” or “blessed with opportunities”. This will help you with your mindset.
- Pray or ask the universe for direction, calm, and peace.
- Rest. It’s time for some self-care. Even though you may have piles to do, and YOU NEED TO TACKLE THE CHALLENGE YOU ARE IN, there are a few moments you can take here. Even when there are deadlines, a 5 minute tea break or walk outside can completely change your mood.
How to see the opportunity in a challenge
This mindset shift towards gratitude and ingenuity can accelerate growth in every area of your life. From personal to business, looking at your daily challenges through the third eye of wisdom will reframe your perspective.
- Change your cognitive bias
- Claim responsibility for your circumstances or future happiness
- Fight your fears and anxiety about making change and be confident in your new direction
- Separate what you can control from what you can’t
- Get creative with your next steps
The challenge is temporary, as temporary as you choose to make it. You can shift your mindset and change directions at any moment towards a solution or better way of life.
I hope this gratitude challenge adds positivity and direction to your life. Know that I celebrate YOU with you, that I am present and here to offer help in your wellness journey, that I am grateful for you, and that I believe you can fully live out your true purpose in life.
XOXO,
Serena
