Waking up with a grateful heart

“When you arise in the morning, think what a privilege it is to be alive – to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love” – Marcus Aurelius

One way to ensure you are waking up on the right side of the bed is to wake up with a grateful heart. When you wake up with a grateful heart, you wake up with actively thinking about the things you are grateful for – a roof over your head, food in your refrigerator, a job, people who love you, etc…… It changes the whole tone of your day.

Here are a few steps to help steer you in the direction of gratitude.

1 – Focus on something that gives you joy

Is it looking over to your sleeping spouse/partner next to you? Is it the sun shining through your room? Is it the smell of coffee brewing? By starting your morning on this positive note it helps you bring positive vibes to your day and allow you to conquer what challenges might arise.

2- Take your time

Give yourself time in the morning to breathe and feel your gratitude. There is nothing worse than a morning rushed. If you are running around like a lost chicken rushing to get out the door, you are already starting your day without serenity. Set your alarm a little earlier to give yourself time to to clear your head, be thankful and more importantly to set your day on a positive note

3- Keep a journal near your bed

I admit I am not the best at this. Before you get out of bed, take a few minutes to write down three (3) things you are grateful for. Taking the action of actually writing it down puts your gratitude on the forefront of your day and truthfully sets the tone.

4- Progress not perfection

And last but not least, be kind to yourself. You might not be able to do it every single day. There will be days that you will oversleep or that things will not go in your favor. Make it a practice but do not make it a chore. It is to enhance and make your day better not to add pressure.

The greatest plus to starting your day with gratitude will be that your interaction with others will improve. Gratitude is contagious. By starting your day on a positive note, it will rub off on others you interact with, not all unfortunately, but most. Gratitude does not just make you feel good, it can be good for you. What a glorious world we would love in if all people practiced gratitude.