A LITTLE THANKS GOES A LONG WAY

Life is better when you practice a little gratitude. We’ve all heard it before.

You’ve got to be thankful. Count your blessings and life gets so much better. It's almost too good to be true, a happy living based on a few thank yous? But actually, we've found it to be tried and tested it and ultra helpful.

We humans get into difficult spaces when we focus way too much on what we don’t have. How many times have you spiralled into minor depression when you’ve flicked through someone else’s social media feed. The pressure, the feeling of lack, the struggle, it's all real. So early 2016 I went on a mission to keep my mind as healthy as possible. Let me share some tips on what I’ve learned so far.

(Anything that reminds you to be thankful gets a 'tick')

The trick is understanding that being in a good space isn’t really that long lasting. Shock horror. Yes, no quick fixes here. Like everything in life, you achieve the most when you implement habits regularly and make them a way of life. So I set on my path to practice gratitude and thankfulness in my rolling google document called 365 days of Thankfulness.

I added anything I thought was worth highlighting: Got a new pen I liked? It was a small win, but a tick for the sheet. Went on a holiday I hoped for in January? Tick. That went in too. Whether big or small, it all went in.

I picked up a bullet journal recently by Best Self Co. What I love most about it is the fact that a simple, effective organisation tool, has a daily section that makes a point of making sure you practice gratitude at the start and end of every day around your life planning. Pretty cool.

Life is fast, but slowing down and appreciating its benefits, and doing things like walking in nature is great for that. I had a bad week and a dear friend and mentor demanded that I “ Go for a walk now!” So I did. I came back bouncing. The fresh air did me good, but the appreciation of the natural (and free) beauty I saw gave me a spring in my step. There’ll be more of that, even if it’s a lunch break stroll.

Saying ‘thank you’ is like an anchor point that slows you down and helps you recognise the good in life. I now say thanks to a higher power and people often, when things are going right and even when they’re not. There’s always something good to find and it’s super fulfilling!

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Tell us how being thankful has worked out for you in 2016?