One beautiful spring day in my early 20’s, I was out cycling with my friend Jeremy in Salt Lake City, UT. At the time, we were both racing as professional cyclists, and that particular morning I remember that our bodies and legs were both feeling quite exhausted from recent races and training rides.
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At the time, we were both racing as professional cyclists, and that particular morning I remember that our bodies and legs were both feeling quite exhausted from recent races and training rides.
As we rode alongside together, I started to rant and was complaining about the exhausted state of my legs.
No more than a minute into my complaining, we rode by a man on the sidewalk who was in a wheelchair who had no legs.
Even though the interaction was so very brief, my friend Jeremy looked up at me, paused, and said, “At least we have our legs today Brock. Right?”
I fell silent. It was a beautiful reminder that when we are complaining about a situation, that someone always has it more difficult.
Gratitude is the game-changer. It’s free to use, takes very little time to implement, and helps anyone to get balanced back into a peak state of joy. And isn’t what we all want to feel? Less pain and more joy?
I’d like to offer 3 simple ways we can implement the practice of gratitude into our lives today.
1. Happy Mornings
Mornings are a crucial time to get filled up the right way. We are coming off of sleep and rest (hopefully), and it’s a time to set into motion all that is good.
Within the first 30 minutes of waking up, take out a small piece of paper, your laptop, a sticky note-anything, and write out what you are grateful for today. If you’re having trouble, you might consider just starting with your very senses.
“I’m grateful today that I have eyes to see this page that I’m writing on and the colors of the sky.”
“I’m grateful today that I can taste this delicious coffee that I just put to my lips.”
“I’m grateful that I can feel the hot shower on my skin and how warm it feels.”
2. Watch For The Universe To Plot Good For You
Many people walk around, so fear based. They expect the worst to happen to them, and they create disaster movies in their heads all day. This is the very reason that I choose to not watch the news.
I would rather make a conscious choice to allow all positive and beautiful thoughts and circumstances to reach me during the day.
As you go about your day, instead of expecting people to do bad things to you, expect them to do good things for you.
Expect the best in people, and you’ll be amazed at what begins to take place.
You’ll see people smiling at you. You’ll see people open doors for you. You’ll see people compliment the clothes you’re wearing. You’ll see people laughing around you.
Remember, where attention goes, energy flows. Allow good to be plotted for you.
3. Take It All In At the End of The Day
The end of the day is exhausting for most people, yet it can be the most beautiful time to reflect on the day.
Make it a habit of writing down 3 things that you were grateful for that day.
I like to take it even one step further and write down 3 things that I learned throughout the course of the day.
The reason this is so beneficial is that it trains your brain to find good in even the more tough lessons or things that can most often be viewed as challenging.
It’s in the challenging times and experiences that we grow more than the good ones.
Therefore, they are all perfection and necessary for our learning. Allow yourself to find gratitude in the good, the “bad” and the challenging and watch how your life feels rich.
Feeling gratitude is the fastest way to greater feelings of abundance. It is the fastest way to fix feelings of fear, doubt, and worry.
It is the fastest way to feel true joy, and the best part of all-it doesn’t cost you anything.
Apply these 3 little practices into your day and watch the difference that is made!
