Sometimes people get so caught up in the busyness of their lives that they get a type of tunnel vision. This tunnel vision limits their ability to see what is going on outside their own little world, and they often miss out on the activity that is happening around them. 
You’re so busy going from task to task and project to project that it’s easy to lose touch with the people, places, and things you used to enjoy before you got so busy. You may not even remember what fun used to be like. Life can get frustrating, stressful, and finding your peace seems impossible.
It’s important to schedule in time each day for the good things you enjoy. Each person has their own unique list of things that bring simple pleasure, feelings of pure joy, or just a sense of comfort. No matter how busy your life gets, set aside some time, even just fifteen minutes for these things.
As you make the time to enjoy, also make the time to be thankful. You can be grateful for physical blessings like where you live, the climate you reside in, or even your residence. You might be thankful about certain people being in your life. This may include your kids, your grandma or your best friend.
The most important function of thankfulness is that it allows you to open your heart, mind, and soul to goodness, gratitude, and light. If you’re unsure how to consciously cultivate gratitude, consider these suggestions:.
Take five
Allow yourself five minutes each morning when you very first wake up to experience thankfulness. Take these moments to simply think about the past day. Say to yourself, “One thing I’m thankful for is___.” Fill in the blank with something you noticed from the last twehty four hours. Think on it for a minute or so. Smile about it. Then start your morning.
Openly appreciate others
Share your gratitude with others every day. Try to share with at least five people each day. If you’re chatting on the phone with a friend, you could say something like, “I am so glad that I painted the living room that beautiful light teal color. The sunlight reflects on it so nicely.”
Another example is, “I went shopping with my sister yesterday and she was so helpful when I wanted to pick out a new dress.” When your verbal acknowledgements to others demonstrate the gratitude you feel, you’ll develop a habit of recognizing what you’re thankful for.
Notice the small stuff
Promise yourself you won’t take little things for granted. Because life becomes crowded with people, tasks, and objects, you may feel challenged to notice small bits of wonder in your day. But if you put your mind to it, you’ll be astounded at what you see.
Open your eyes to the wonders all around you. A sunset, a warm cup of tea, or an ice-cold glass of water when you get home from work can be great reasons to feel gratitude. The smell of honeysuckle as you walk by the vine or your daughter’s impish smiles are still more things that might remind you of your blessings.
Flip it
Learn to turn your thoughts around. When you discover you’re thinking negative thoughts, imagine a big stop sign and say, “Stop” out loud. Then, replace the stop sign with an image of something around you that you’re grateful for right at that moment. Think about that object, experience, person, or situation and bask in your positive experience. If you practice this regularly, you will notice more positive than negative.
Keep a gratitude journal
If you find you’re having difficulty remembering to notice the things that stir your inner thankfulness, perhaps starting a gratitude journal would help. A journal is a tangible visual aid that will trigger you to think about what you’re grateful for.
Try just putting put the date on the page and jotting down what you’re grateful for at that time. You can write as much or as little as you wish. Place your journal in a spot where you’ll see it frequently, like on the dining room table, the kitchen counter, or near your favorite chair. This way, you’ll be prompted to experience your gratitude more often.
Being grateful is truly one of the things that makes life worth living! Truly one of the keys to a more peaceful life.
Each time you consciously decide to experience your thankfulness, you’ll feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Open your eyes and mind to the people, places, things, and experiences you’re grateful for. You’ll feel so much better about your life.
Find your purpose – find your joy!
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Did you find a few more ideas of your own? If so, I’d love to hear about them in the comments, and as always please reach out with your thoughts.
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