Sunday Reset - A Bedtime Gratitude Practice - July 19
Integration & Quick Tips - What I'll Take WIth Me…
Practicing meditation and mindfulness gives us opportunities and tools to wholeheartedly experience the pleasant, unpleasant, and neutral aspects of life. With thoughtful intention we can weave mindfulness into our daily lives — without drastic changes — and open up to more moments of joy.
One of my favorite daily mindfulness habits is a bedtime gratitude practice. I keep a smooth, round stone I found at the beach one day on my bedside table. I call it my gratitude stone. My practice is simple: at bedtime I relax, gently hold the stone, and bring to mind three things for which I feel grateful.
It turns out there's real science behind why this works. Researchers Emmons and McCullough found that people who regularly practiced gratitude — simply by noting what they were thankful for — reported significantly greater wellbeing and positive affect compared to those who focused on daily hassles or neutral events. All it took was pausing to name a few things, and notice how it feels.
(Emmons & McCullough, 2003, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology)
Some days my list is incredible ordinary - I'm grateful we have air conditioning on 100-degree days; I'm grateful there's coffee in the morning; I'm grateful my husband put gas in my car. You know what I'm talking about.
Other days my list feels more meaningful - I'm grateful my senior citizen parents are healthy and safe; I'm grateful my young adult daughters are finding their way; I'm grateful for benign biopsies and healthy medical exams. The heavier stuff, held with care.
There are also the moments of joy - a day of blissful sunshine at the ocean in Rhode Island, a phone call from my best friend, celebrations big and small. It's important to notice and name those too.
I'm grateful for it all.
So here's your invitation: tonight, hold something meaningful in your hand - a stone, a smooth shell, a worn coin, an old teddy bear - and bring three things to mind, whether they are ordinary or profound. See what you notice and how it feels.
Hit reply and let me know how it goes ;)
Warmly,
Julia
Resources Below - Take a Look :)
Introduction & Discussion: Gratitude (what, why, how)
Greater Good Science Center: Gratitude
