GRATEFUL
Journal Prompts for when you’re feeling grateful…
Journaling when you're feeling grateful deepens those positive feelings, helping you savor the moment and strengthen your sense of fulfillment.
Where do you feel this feeling in your body? How does it show up physically for you?
What specific actions or events led to this feeling?
How do you talk to yourself when you’re feeling grateful? Is this different than when you are not experiencing this feeling? How can you incorporate this next time you’re craving this feeling?
Write a list of 5 things that make you feel grateful – remember to revisit when you need a boost.
What's something my past self did that I'm grateful for today?
How can I express this gratitude to others, and what difference might it make in our connection?
What challenges have led me to this gratitude, and how have they shaped my outlook or sense of purpose?
For professional success …
Expressing Appreciation to Colleagues
Why It Works: Showing gratitude to colleagues and team members strengthens professional relationships and creates a positive work environment.
How to Practice: Make it a habit to thank your colleagues for their contributions. This can be through a quick note, email, or verbal acknowledgment, fostering a culture of appreciation and collaboration.
To fuel personal growth and success …
Daily Gratitude Practice:
How to Practice: Each day bring to mind things or experiences you are grateful for. These can be big or small, recent or past events. Consider the positive aspects of your life, relationships, achievements, or moments of joy.
Allow yourself to fully experience the emotions that arise as you reflect on your gratitude items. Notice the warmth, joy, or contentment in your heart and let it expand.
Express gratitude: Take a few moments to express your gratitude internally or verbally. You can silently say "thank you" for each item or speak it aloud if you prefer. Feel the sincerity and appreciation in your words.
Why It Works: Regularly practicing gratitude enhances overall well-being and shifts your focus to positive aspects of life.
Gratitude Journaling Practice: Gratitude journaling offers a chance to slow down and acknowledge the good around us—moments and details that can otherwise pass us by. When you take a few minutes to write about what you appreciate, you naturally start spotting more things to feel thankful for, creating a steady shift toward positivity. This simple practice strengthens emotional resilience, equipping you to handle life’s ups and downs with a greater sense of calm and groundedness. Explore tips to get started here
Savor the Emotion: Savoring is an emotion regulation strategy focused on fully experiencing and extending positive emotions. Too often, we let good moments pass by without truly appreciating them. By pausing to savor these experiences, we amplify and prolong the positive feelings, making them last longer and enhancing our overall well-being.Discover the benefits and tips for practicing HERE.
Breathing Exercises…
Savoring with Deep Breathing
Sit or lie down comfortably with your back straight and shoulders relaxed.
Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly, just below your ribcage.
Inhale: Breathe in slowly through your nose for a count of four. Allow your belly to rise as you fill your lungs with air while keeping your chest relatively still.
Pause: Hold your breath for a count of two
Exhale slowly through your mouth for a count of six - Feel your belly fall as you release the air, keeping your chest relatively still.
Focus on Your Positive Emotion:
As you continue deep breathing, bring to mind the happiness you’re experiencing (happiness, delight, joy).
Visualize the moment or experience that brought about this positive emotion.
Breath and Savor:
On each inhale, imagine that you are breathing in more of this happy feeling letting it fill your entire being.
On each exhale, release any tension or distractions, focusing solely on the emotion.