Thanksgiving is right around the corner, but it’s important to be grateful all the time, not just on one day a year. Here are a few ways to stay happy and thankful in your everyday life.
Gratitude Journal
A gratitude journal is exactly what it sounds like, a journal where you write down the things you are grateful for. This can either be a plain journal that you write in freely or a guided journal that has built-in prompts and suggestions for things to write about.
If you choose to get a blank journal, look up prompts, such as the ones here! You can also download free journals like this one. They can guide you through writing about the things you’re grateful for. If you choose to get a guided journal, make sure that you’re choosing one that has prompts and activities that work for your daily life, and that you will enjoy.
A Gratitude Vision Board
A gratitude vision board is just a vision board that you focus around things you are grateful for. It’s a great way to visually show the good things in your life and can make a really aesthetic decoration for your room! Get your friends together and collect some magazines to cut up to have a gratitude vision board night! It’s a great way to bond with the people you love while also appreciating what you have in your life.
Grounding Exercises
Grounding exercises are activities that allow you to bring yourself into the present moment and stay focused. One thing that can be helpful is stopping what you’re doing, leaning back in your chair, and focusing on the sensations that you’re feeling. Really pay attention to the feeling of the back of the chair pressing into your spine, the feeling of your feet in your shoes, etc.
Then, think of ways that you can be grateful for these things. For example, after feeling your shoes on your feet, you realize that you were grateful to be able to afford a nice pair of shoes. This can also be done while walking from class to class. You don’t have to stop moving, but put your phone in your pocket and take a look around you. Notice how the sky looks, how the wind feels on your face and focus on your breathing. It’s easy to be grateful for nature when you actually pay attention to it.
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