Autumn is a season of harvest, abundance and thankfulness. As the weather cools and the days shorten, our psyche registers the changes and we naturally become more reflective as we head toward a New Year.
While many are thinking forward to their goals for 2020, consider spending last few months of 2019 mentally cataloging and paying thanks to the many blessings this current year has brought! Today, we’ll share with you three gratitude practices for the autumn season.
The practice of conscious gratitude has been the subject of many recent scientific studies. Some of the proven benefits of including this in your wellness routine include:
Make time to write down things you’re grateful for—big or small. This practice helps you to gain perspective and recognize things that may be a “blessing in disguise” (or blesssons, as we at SWIHA call them). It can be a simple bullet point list that you continually add to, specific things about that day, or you could write long-form entries through the use of prompts, such as:
Your gratitude journal is uniquely you! It’s also a great place to visit on days where you’re feeling discouraged or stuck.
When was the last time you reminded someone how much you appreciate their presence? Some friends, family and even co-workers are such constant figures that we often forget how essential they are to our lives. Simple ways to express gratitude for a person can be:
You can also write letters or send a card if that is a more comfortable way for you to express yourself.
As the Reiki principles state: “Just for today, I will…”. On a day that you have freedom and flexibility, commit to making it overwhelmingly great! Be mindful of your internal dialogue, and choose to do only things that bring you joy. It’s like super-charging your attitude of gratitude! Some ideas include:
Incorporating gratitude in to your everyday is easy—and beneficial! By taking it day-by-day and remaining present, it becomes an unconscious action leading to a happier, healthier life.