Gratitude as a daily ritual
For the past two years, I have been keeping a Gratitude Journal. I was attending a conference a few years ago and had a late-evening dialogue with another CEO in the industry. He told me how he had begun implementing the practice of recording everything that he was grateful for at the end of each day as part of his bedtime ritual. In fact, he was so transformed by the experience that he recommended all of his staff take up the practice.
At first, I was skeptical. Could you really boost your mood and hence, your productivity, by writing down something as seemingly insignificant as, “The cashier smiled at me today and wished me a pleasant evening,” I asked myself. As someone who values logic but embraces spirituality, the idea intrigued me enough to want to try it.
My initial attempts were inconsistent at best. Inevitably, I’d run out of time or remember that I hadn’t made an entry in my Gratitude Journal for the day after I’d already gotten comfortable in my bed. In order to genuinely assess the potential for a positive effect of taking note each time that I experienced gratitude, I needed to apply more self-discipline to the practice. So, I put the journal on my night table with a pen and got into the habit of scribbling at least one positive experience each day before I tucked myself in under the covers.
Over time, I evolved the practice so that the first thought in my head each morning was one of gratitude. Silently, I’d thank the Universe for allowing me to wake up, for making the sunshine, or for the joy of being greeted by my children who were eager to play games.
Within a few months, I started to notice a tremendous change. Indeed, I had developed a “gratitude attitude” where things no longer negatively impacted me to the same degree that they had months before. I became more mindful, more self-aware, and developed a heightened sense of awareness for my surroundings and how my mood affected the situations that transpired around me.
Productivity increased. Happiness increased. And the effects of both were rubbing off on my family and my colleagues. On tough days – because everyone has those – I would spend time reading through my Gratitude Journal, recalling each entry and why it was noteworthy. In effect, I would relive those moments and expressions of gratitude. This enabled me to move beyond a sour mood and to relax into a renewed state of calm and contentment.
Gratitude as daily ritual
A gratitude ritual has immense transformative power. It has the potential to shift you from what you don't have to what you do have and get you in an abundant mindset. Starting your day with gratitude and ending it with gratitude creates lasting physiological and psychological benefits.
Journaling may or may not be something that you are open to and I respect that. But, if you are, I highly recommend the practice. Begin slowly and forgive yourself if it takes some time to get into the rhythm of making it a regular part of your daily routine. And, on those tough days, I urge you to flip back through your journal – I guarantee that your mindset will shift in a positive direction each time that you do.
“Gratitude and attitude are not challenges; they are choices.”