Today’s Morning Buzz is by Danielle Rogers, Community Marketing Manager for Newton, Iowa. Connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Listening To: We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle
Reading: Half Sick of Shadows by Laura Sebastian
Watching: Loki on Disney+
Lately, I’ve found myself in a cynical place. It’s hard not to be when everything seems to be going wrong, challenges and obstacles dominate the day-to-day, and fear of the unknown dominates my train of thought. But after taking some time to sit with my feelings and sit with my therapist, I realized that I need to bring gratitude back into my life.
Gratitude (n): the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Psychology Today says, “People who are grateful feel less pain, less stress, suffer insomnia less, have stronger immune systems, experience healthier relationships, and do better academically and professionally. Overall it can boost both your mental and your physical health.”
“Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
Gratitude starts with noticing the goodness in life.
Here are some simple ways that I’ve started bringing appreciation back into my life.
- Notice the small things each day and be amazed at all the goodness that we take for granted. This could even look like keeping a gratitude journal (or, in my case – sticky notes). I write down one or two things I’m grateful for daily. Even writing down three good things that have gone well today has helped me.
- Try to take a negative statement and turn it into something positive. You all should know this is something that I do everyday with the amount of negativity that comes my way managing social media. I’m constantly creating a list of content for the following week or through another communication channel in most cases. It’s that whole turning lemons into lemonade mindset. But I also try to take note of constructive criticism and figure out a way to improve on it.
- Send more thank you notes. Yes, a text message or email is quicker, but I’m reminded every day when I walk into my house how much snail mail means. I have a bulletin board right by my front door that displays thank you notes and cards that I’ve received over the last couple of years. I am now trying to do the same with others.
- Make sure your conversations reflect your thankfulness and gratitude. This can be as simple as giving someone in your life (whether it’s a partner, friend, or co-worker) one compliment each day. Think about people who inspire you every day, and what about them was most significant – wouldn’t it be nice to share those words with the actual person?
I know this seems like a simple #MorningBuzz concept. But honestly, ask yourself, when was the last time you showed your gratitude towards others? If we are to lead by example, I think this is one example I want to (and can) show every day. And think about the benefit that taking the time to show gratitude can potentially have on our communities. I think the possibilities are endless, and I’m thankful for that.