Are You Using Your Gratitude Muscle?
Growing up we learnt all about how we are made up of bones, nerves, muscles etc, but there is one muscle that did not get taught about nearly as much as it should; Your Gratitude Muscle. This muscle is very important to our well being, and like all muscles it needs to be stretched, supported and nourished daily. When we forget to use our Gratitude muscle; it becomes weak, inflexible and under nourished. Yet the amazing thing about this beautiful muscle is – No matter what condition it may be in, it is easy to build it up and make it strong + healthy again!
The easiest way to help it grow is to nourish and fuel it every day. How do you do this you may ask?
Well it is very simple. Here is the secret how…
Practice Daily Gratitude!
It is that easy.
♥
Now if your Gratitude muscle has been out of action for a while, or gets infrequent use, no stress! Take it slowly. It is like any other muscle workout, if you go to big and hard too fast, then you can crash and burn. When this happens, it can be overwhelming and trier you out to the point where you cannot face doing another workout. Remember your Gratitude muscle has been out of action for a while, so it needs gentle exercising and to be eased back into being used again.
Here is an easy way to warm up back into using your Gratitude muscle.
Get a little notebook and keep a pen in it. Place this beside your bed, or somewhere you will see it each day. (Could be by your kettle, or next to your loo!) Then for a week, each day, write out 5 things you are Grateful for in your life at that moment. So if it is by your bed, you could write these 5 things down before you go to sleep at night, or if it is by your kettle; write 5 things while your water is boiling.
Here is a guide of what your entry may look like:
Example:
Sunday 1st May
- My beautiful family and friends.
- My good health, beauty and wellbeing.
- The kindness and support I experienced today at work.
- My cup of tea.
- That car spot I found right outside the post office.
♥
And there you have it. Pretty simple stuff right? After 1 week of writing 5 things you are grateful for each day; now write down 7 things you are grateful for each day, and then the next week – go for 10 things. Also don’t feel restricted to write only the 5 or 7 things. If you are feeling you want to write more, go for it! The point of this is to get your Gratitude Muscle up and working again, with a gentle mini daily workout.
When you start using and nourishing your Gratitude muscle, it will create a muscle memory, which will then help you to use this muscle automatically in your day to day life, without even thinking about it. How awesome is that!?
♥
So go forth, put on that sweatband, rock that lycra, and get your Gratitude Muscle grooving and moving to that Grateful Beat!
You were given a gift of 86,400 seconds today.
Have you used one to say ‘thank you?’ ~William A. Ward
Belinda | The Female Entrepreneur Collective
May 6, 2016I need to be more consistent with this - I have a gratitude diary from Kikki K that I use on occasion and when I do I find it improves my outlook greatly. X
The Gratitude Butterfly
May 7, 2016It is amazing how much you can really notice the effect of daily gratitude, and when you don't do it. :) Thanks for sharing Belinda! xx
Megan Kathleen
May 14, 2016I absolutley love this. I use my "The 5 Minute Journal" every morning and evening before bed... and it seriously make a big impact on how my day goes. Thank you for sharing about Gratitude.. I talk about this a lot with my clients!
The Gratitude Butterfly
May 19, 2016I do the same, and I can really feel the difference in writing in it; to when I don't. Thanks for sharing! :) xx
Tanya
May 26, 2016I have a section in my planner for gratitude. Every day I write down something that I'm grateful for that day and I never repeat anything. At first it felt weird but now I usually end up with a list of things every single day. Gratitude is definitely a muscle worth exercising :-)
The Gratitude Butterfly
May 27, 2016Thanks for sharing Tanya! It is amazing how much Gratitude comes part of your life the more you focus on it. :) xx