Gratitude makes you happy!
Hi everyone, Ash here
Sam and I are often asked how we are so positive and happy all the time, so we reply honestly - we aren't (sorry!). Just like you and everyone else, we also have moments and days where work is manic, our minds are all over the place and people (including loved ones!) test our nerves! However, we have discovered many ways of strengthening our mental health so that on the days our mood is low, we are able to be gentle with ourselves and do what we can to feel a little more positive.
One of the best ways to do this is to practise daily gratitude. Credible studies have shown that those people who practise gratitude every day (or at least frequently) experience more feelings of happiness than those who don't. As weird and unbelievable as it may sound to some people who haven't done it before, there is no denying that these studies prove that by training the mind to be more grateful, you will find yourself thinking more positively and will treat other people, and yourself, more kindly. We encourage you to google some of these studies, there are many of them and they all point to the same outcome - gratitude makes you happy!
Remember that practising gratitude and any type of mindfulness exercise is the same as training your body to get stronger - you have to keep with it. Although small positive changes will be felt quite soon, you may not see the desired outcome straight away - results can take time, so trust us on this and why not give the next exercise a go...
Every day for the next week write down 3 things you are grateful for - people, places, events, nature, home. Big or small, anything! The only condition to this task is that it has to be different every day, you can't use the same thing twice! This will help you to reallythink about everything you have to be grateful for....
So, give it a go and set a reminder to do it each day for the next week. Why not pop it into your calendar or set a daily notification? Start training your mind to be happier, healthier and more content.... today.
Thanks and have a wonderful day, we are grateful for you x
Sam & Ash