The beauty of gratitude
The beauty of gratitude
This week is Mental Health Awareness Week and the theme for 2021 is nature. I adore being in nature – taking the time for a stroll in my local park, a walk along the river path or simply sitting at the foot of a tree with a book is a sure fire way to boost my wellbeing. There’s just something about being at one with the natural world – it’s soothing in a way unlike any other.
Over the past year I have been so incredibly grateful for the abundance of green space in London. On my doorstep I have some beautiful walks and opportunities to seek the solace of nature and I have really taken advantage of them during lockdown. This brings me on to the notion of gratitude. You hear it mentioned everywhere these days, but it really is such a beautiful concept and is a major part of finding inner calm and healing.
Taking the time each day to sit and write down a few things you are grateful for in a gratitude journal such as this one, is a fantastic practice to integrate into your self-care routine. It needn’t take too long – just a few quiet moments to reflect on your day and the beautiful things that you are grateful for is so nourishing for the soul. It’s all too easy in life to get caught up in the everyday and let the simple but beautiful moments pass us by. Writing them down encourages us to really reflect on the great things in our lives and relive the positive feelings they brought about.
They don’t have to be big things either. That’s the thing about gratitude – it’s all about recognising the small things too. The beauty of a morning sky. The sound of birdsong when you wake up. Brunch with friends. Managing to get the early bus! Anything that brings you joy is worth recognising.
I love to write in my journal, but I also make notes on my phone during the day if anything particularly lovely happens that I don’t want to forget. Looking through your camera roll is great for inspiring gratitude too, as is chatting with a friend. When you open up with them and discuss your day, you often remember all the lovely things that have happened that you want to share.
Another part of gratitude is expressing your thanks to someone who has brought joy into your life. We all know about the big celebration days throughout the year – Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Birthdays – but how about celebrating someone wonderful ‘just because’? How nice is it when someone gives you an unexpected compliment? Especially when that compliment recognises one of your innermost personality traits. How about sending a friend a text message to say thank you just for being a good friend? Or acknowledging someone cooking you a lovely meal by following it up with a handwritten note popped in the post?
In these days of social media, dedicating a post to a small business you love is a wonderful way to say thank you for an item they have created, or a service they have provided. I know how warm it makes me feel inside when others do this for me!
I hope this inspires you to start your own gratitude journal, or even just to sit for five minutes with a hot cup of tea each morning, celebrating everything that is wonderful in your life. It is such an amazing thing to do each day.
