Over the last two articles (part one and part two), we’ve covered the benefits of a gratitude practice, and how you can easily start practicing gratitude every day through journaling.
(We even gave away step-by-step journaling instructions in part two!)
Today, we’re going to share a method of exploring gratitude more deeply - by layering your gratitude. Whhhhaaat does that mean?
LAYERING YOUR GRATITUDE (AND YOUR SENSES)
By isolating a particular moment from your day and focusing on the small details, you will learn how to connect your senses with feelings of gratitude.
An illustrated example:
A morning cup of coffee is not only addictive because of the caffeine. It’s also due to the coffee-making experience.
It ignites many of our senses at once and engages our ‘feel good’ responders, making the process even more habitual. For example, the sound of the coffee machine, the smell of the coffee brewing, seeing the black liquid change as you add in the swirling cream, the warmness of the mug heating your hands, the way the first sip engages your taste buds…
This experience becomes a ritual.
Because it engages every sense, you become much more invested in wanting to experience coffee every day. Once you are prompted to recognize and write out these senses, how do you think it will change your next cup of coffee? Do you think it would change your appreciation for such a mundane activity?
A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE FOR LAYERING YOUR GRATITUDE
So, you’re ready to dive in and find the magic in the mundane! You want to harness your senses and level up your happiness? Let us share the HOW.
Generally, this is the last thing you’ll complete in “My Grateful Five” (the gratitude journal practice developed by Laura McKinnon, founder of DG). We recommend warming up by first recalling your day through your five senses. Please check out part two of this series for instructions.
LAYER AWAY, BABY!
On the left-hand side of your page, describe your favourite part of the day. Next to it, dissect the moment using your five senses. Re-live the goodness.
Below on the left-hand side, describe a ‘boring’ or ‘usual’ activity from today. Next to it, dissect the moment using your five senses. Find the goodness.
The entire gratitude practice will likely take you five to 10 minutes each night.
Remember, it’s the micro-moments that impact the bigger picture. When we learn to feel gratitude for all that we have now – the big and the small – that’s when the game changes.
Whether you use your own journal, or buy one of our beautiful designs, we hope you use this practice as another tool in your wellness toolbox.