3 Reasons You Should Be Practicing Gratitude and Mindfulness
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If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change. That’s how our attention works. The more we focus on the negative, the more negative we see. So, the more you focus on the positive, the more positive you see. On a basic level, this is how you change your mindset, and how practicing gratitude and mindfulness helps you do that.
But don’t take my word for it. Read on to find out what the research says.
Many of us have heard of practicing gratitude. But what does it mean?
For me, it means being grateful for the things we have. I know first-hand what a difference this can make, especially in times of change: I started a gratitude diary when lockdown first hit, and it really helped me stay focused on the positive when there were so many negatives taking place.
Mindfulness often falls hand in hand with practicing gratitude because it encourages you to spend time in the moment, to take time out of your day to focus your attention, and practice clearing your mind. This is a powerful tool for strengthening your ability to focus on a specific thing whilst letting everything else go.
It’s especially good for helping you calm down or de-stress.
I introduced mindfulness into my life when I started my business because I needed a way to de-stress and switch off from the day, and it makes a huge difference to my ability to have a healthy work-life balance.
Practicing gratitude and mindfulness is proven to increase happiness because you start to rewire your brain so that it focuses on what you have, instead of what you lack. As a result, your general outlook on life and work becomes more positive and you feel happier and experience greater life and work satisfaction.
Research has proven that strengthening our ability to focus our attention actually increases our productivity. This is because mindfulness strengthens the ability to block unwanted or wandering thoughts out while focusing on the task at hand. It also makes you more creative, with an overall increase in idea generation.
Practicing gratitude and mindfulness improves overall wellbeing. Not only are people happier, but research has proven that regular practice actually improves mental wellbeing because it helps to break the cycle of worry, stress, anxiety, and negative thoughts. Also, research has found it improves physical wellbeing, sleep, and social interactions. The re-wiring of the brain means that you can deal with adversity more effectively, so you become more resilient to change and conflict.
So, let’s do some re-wiring. Every day for the next 30 days, spend 10 minutes reflecting on the day, focusing on the present, and asking yourself…what am I grateful for? See the difference it makes.
Life Coach
Hi, I’m Stacey and I’ve spent 12 years helping people take back control. Working with me goes beyond the goal we’re working on. It provides the opportunity for mindset growth and transformational change.
I use distinction accredited psychological techniques to achieve these results and empower people to own and adjust their behavior so they can achieve their own definition of thriving. With my help, you form a clear vision of what thriving means for you whether that be at work or in your personal life, and we create an action plan outlining how to achieve it. To book a consultation with SJS Coaching Services, visit www.sjscoachingservices.com/consultations
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