This single practice has changed my life. And this single practice makes patient care so much more effective. It decreases healing times and sets the stage for a body that wants to heal!

Why?

Because when we practice any form of gratitude our body produces hormones and neurotransmitters that make us feel good.

Not only do we feel good… but our body actually changes. Your heart gets healthier, your gut functions better, your hormones stabilize and your immune system is balanced.

I will spare you the long list of research that shows how appreciation and gratitude heal your body. This is not new information for most.

So why don’t we have gratitude practices?

Because sometimes we don’t actually feel grateful. We are forcing it.

I believe this is because we look at the big picture when we need to get microscopic.

What I aim to do today is share with you my favorite gratitude practice. It takes 2 minutes and it works.

It’s hard to make yourself thankful when you feel stressed all the time. In fact, it can be really irritating when you’re just not feeling it. But stress and hopelessness significantly gets in the way of getting you better!

I find that identifying small joys can be rather easy when we focus on micro elements of our life.

When we get really descriptive with mundane things. Our life can feel really magical and fulfilling.

The trick is to give BIG meaning and beautiful description to small things.

Here are some examples…

• My cat’s luxurious shiny black fur and a hot cup of coffee
• My neighbor's white string lights dancing in the night
• The single yellow rose in the morning sun out my back window
• A cup of clam chowder and artisan sourdough with my girls
• The blue penny tiles at the cafe
• Seeing the swirls of my breath in the morning cold
• The shiny gold buttons on my navy winter coat
• Wilted tomato plants from a long prolific summer; still feel warm
• The mess my littlest patient made with dried lavendar for her sleep tea
• Happy wagging dog tails that knock things over

The effective part is seeing the magic in the mundane.

When you read back over your lists your body will feel and respond with a flood of chemicals that actually heal your body.

You will start looking for joy automatically.

Just like anything… This takes practice and consistency. The best part is the lists become like poems. They feel inspiring and fun to write. It is so fulfilling to look back over your lists and be inspired by your own life.

When first learning to journal, I always recommend setting a timer. Start with 1-2 minutes. Whatever comes out is enough and there is no right or wrong way.

Here is an easy prompt to help get you started (set a 1 min timer to complete this):

1. Think of 1 mundane thing you did yesterday:

2. Now think of one micro element that was magical about this mundane activity: (nothing is too small)

3. Now give that magic a beautiful / positive description (use color, feelings, the lighting, imagine seeing it in a beautiful picture…what would you describe)

Repeat this as much as you like … but even once is enough.

Examples:

I went to the store. There was a really happy checker and the strawberries were extra red. The happy checker at the grocery store helping me with my bright red strawberries.

I dropped off the drycleaning. There was a really pretty ballgown in the back. The gorgeous royal blue ballgown behind rows of well worn clothes.

For me, words have power and deliver magic to my normal life.

I hope that words can do that for you too!

Don’t forget to throw in the not so mundane things too!

When obvious joyous events happen like a vacation or a gathering with friends, include those in your list too! Give micro descriptions to these events as well.

Noticing the micro joys trains your brain to notice all the amazing things around you. You don't need to have a tropical vacation or a perfect day to find joy.

We know it’s hard to access joy when you aren’t feeling great. Call us for a 15 min free consultation. Our goal is to help you achieve health that enables you to live joyfully.

Practicing joy makes our work with you so much more effective!

We hope you take a short minute to notice the micro joys around you.