6 Steps To More Gratitude, Today

Have you ever had a really terrible, no good, just plain bad day? Of course you have – we all have. Sometimes the hot water runs out, the boss yells at you, you get stuck in the worst traffic, you stain your favorite cardigan, and you get broken up with – on your message machine. Now, have you ever had one of those days, and were still able to tip you head up and smile. I have. I do. Want to know the secret?  

I believe that everyday gratitude is a key to daily satisfaction and love. It’s essential to be grateful and aware of the goodness in your life even when the going gets tough.

It is a surefire way to turn an average day into something memorable, and a terrible day into a learning experience. It is the trick to re-frame the way you are viewing your life or a specific experience.  You don’t want to spend your whole life stuck in the doldrums, bored, unhappy and waiting for good thing to happen to you.  You want to go out there and make them happen for yourself!

Here are some simple steps to integrate gratitude into your life on a daily basis.

Say Thank You more often
Let’s the thank you’s fly! We get prompted to say this over and over again as a child but somewhere along the way (say, middle school) we forgot all of our parents training.  Say them to the grocer, to the barista, to your partner, let Thank You become an automatic response for you.  If those two words get a bit boring, feel free to come up with creative ways to say Thank You.  “You’re incredible” “I really appreciate that” “I couldn’t have done it without you” are fuller ways to express the same sentiment.  Be playful with your language, but be very clear what you mean. I guarantee you, you will turn around someone else’s no good, very bad day.

Notice your surroundings
We are often so busy racing from one meeting to the next, that our free time in-between commitments is spent headfirst into our phones.  We miss the clouds, the flowers, the other people on the street, and the general color and beauty found around us every day.  Spend more time with your head up, noticing your life, making eye contact and smiling at strangers. Facebook can wait.

Create a gratitude journal
Grab an old notebook, or invest in a shiny new one, and write down 5 things you are grateful for every single day.  Writing things down by hand instead of creating a list on your phone creates a more personal connection to your list, and will help you spend 5 less minutes a day disconnected from the internet.  If someone sends you a sweet text or fb message, transcribe it in there too.

Take a photo of things that make you smile
Finally! A use for your phone!  Noticing your surroundings, and taking a photo of things that make you smile is a great way to see how much you’re enjoying your life, and it will automatically create a smile and inspiration catalog right there on your phone.  Sharing them on social media is a great way to engage your friends in this endeavor too.

Pay it forward
Do nice things for other people!  Making someone else’s day can often make your day.  Leave notes for your friends, bring a co-worker a snack, text someone about how rad they are.  Going out of your way to be grateful for your friends, co-workers, even strangers, to show them you care, is an important aspect of being a grateful person all the time, because it’s not just about you.  The more you can share your gratitude and joy with the world, the more it’s going to come back to you.

Developing a practice of gratitude when times are good really helps you maintain a sane and stable approach to life when things get bad.

You now have a notebook to read through, amazing friends to lean on and a photo album – all dedicated to your happiness!  By developing and exercising this muscle now, you fortify yourself for when you really need it to do the heavy lifting.

I’m Ellen, Money Making Expert.  I help creative business owners make more money and revolutionize their businesses.  It’s my mission to help all you creative business owners, coaches, soloprenurs and world changers get paid, well.  Ready to find out what’s possible when we work together? Book your power sesh here.  20 minutes, you and me, totally free.

“Go for it! In fact, if you have ANY doubt that you might not be going in the right direction in your business, all you need is one session with Ellen.  She’s not only extremely business-savvy and able to come up with innovative, creative and totally ON FIRE ideas quick-as-all-hell, her razor-sharp wit and relaxed demeanor made the whole session feel like I was talking to a (super–smart) BFF.” – Erica