Gratitude Guru
How will you express your gratitude?
Check out this heart opening gratitude sequence by Anne Weidinger - flow through on the first side and then repeat on the second side.
Try this gratitude practice with Karine Wascher.
These simple practices of gratitude can literally change your life! Science is showing what yogis have known for a long time: gratitude makes us happier, healthier, increases our resilience and helps us feel all around more connected. (link: happierhuman.com/benefits-of-gratitude)
Keep a 30 day gratitude journal (here are some suggestions): List 3 things daily that you’ are grateful for from the last 24 hours; Keep a gratitude journal for 30 days, on day one, list one thing you are grateful for; on day two 2 things on day three 3 things, etc.; Daily stream of conscious gratitude musings
Karma yoga adventure lots of ideas here!!
Gratitude email chain – Send an email, to three people, or post on social media, telling them why they amaze and inspire you. Include all three people on the same email or post and encourage them to choose three people and keep the chain going.
Practice and share with a friend a gratitude practice (yoga, meditation, etc). Check our blog this month for practices.
Write a gratitude message on the YOHI "gratitude wall" at the High Street location.
Write a "Gratitude Guru" card and give it to someone (included in in-studio intention kit or available at front desk)
Send an "old fashioned" snail mail letter to someone who has inspired you in your life and tell them why.
Express gratitude for mother earth (walk in nature, play in nature….)
Try this gratitude breath practice: Before eating every meal, take three conscious breaths with the following acknowledgements: First breath: feel gratitude to the earth for providing food, Second breath: acknowledge every hand that was involved in bring meal to you (from farmer, to truck driver, to server or friend), Third breath: feel any gratitude for your body, for taking in nutrients and for sensing the pleasures of the food.
Write gratitude A-Z list, for each letter of the alphabet find something you feel real gratitude for.
Create a gratitude prompt, place something in your house or car that will remind you to come back to your gratitude practice and grateful mindset. Or it might be something out in the world - every time you see a cat or a green mailbox or a yellow traffic light or the word "together" or a compass rose or a lotus it reminds you to turn inward and acknowledge something you're grateful for.
Practice for a day, week, month, year to find ways to be grateful for the difficult and the mundane as well as the magic and adventure. Keep a journal of these too - reading over this list can help spark gratitude, and also remind you of your resilience.
Smile!! Even a small smile can open your eyes to see the good.
Be on the lookout for the good, and when you see it, say it. Say it out loud, or write it down, or share it with a pic and post on social media!
Compliment or give praise to a coworker, friend or family member. We often ask for help, and we often thank others for help, but it is valuable to recognize their actions when they offer a kindness without being asked to do so. Sometimes they're just simply do their job well. You can make someone’s day by giving them praise for an ordinary thing they do!
Write a Reverse Bucket List! All the things you've already accomplished!
Put notes in your children's lunch bag telling them what you love and appreciate about them.
Send your kiddos to school with an old fashioned bouquet from your yard and a note from you and/or your kiddos telling their teacher what you appreciate: be specific+ for your weekly updates & reminders, for enforcing healthy snacks, or your encouragement of...
When you receive great service, do the online survey at the bottom of the receipt, & or contact their boss and let them know.
Each day of the challenge secretly drop a post it note (or several) into a jar stating what you love about your partner, child, friend, co-worker. At the end of the month present that person with their filled jar.
Keep a few Gratitude Guru cards in your car so you are always ready to write a gratitude/ thank you note...and do it right then!
On your walk, jog, run...say a prayer of gratitude for the people in each home you pass, "I'm thankful for your daily smile, thank you for taking such good care of your yard, thank you for your beautiful holiday display, thank you for participating in my kid's school fundraiser, thank you for keeping your dog on its leash...pick one home each day to put a special note in their mailbox.
When you say "thank you," state what you are thankful for explicitly: Thank you for bagging my purchase, Thank you for opening the door, Thank you for sharing your beautiful smile..
Breath practice: inhale: yes. exhale: thank you
Take turns with a friend sharing 1 think in the moment that is bringing you joy - go back and forth for three or more rounds. Works well to do this twice a day - once in the morning and once at night.
Check out this heart opening gratitude sequence by Anne Weidinger - flow through on the first side and then repeat on the second side.
Try this Gratitude Guru Flow with Lara Falberg.