#GRATEFUL4

  Day 1: Write 10 Things You Are Grateful For. Simple as that. It could be the shoes on your feet, the roof over your head, the phone in your hand, or the fact that you’re alive. Just find 10 things to say “thank you” for.   Day 2: Compliment a Stranger. Make someone you don’t know feel good today. We’re in this time where when we pass someone we barely notice because our heads are buried in our phones. Put the phone away and be human, just for today, seek someone out and make them feel good.   Day 3: Clean Something. Take some time to declutter today. Show gratitude for your space by keeping it clean. Clutter never generates a good feeling whether we notice it or not. Notice the good feeling you get when you create space. Sidenote: This could be mental clutter as well. Take some time to do a brain dump and write down what’s been lingering up there.   Day 4: Write a Thank You Letter and Mail It. This is one of my favorite things to do for my clients and people that have impacted my life. Not a text, not a call, but a thank you note. Yes, snail mail, with a stamp. It doesn’t have to be long but just tell someone, “thank you”.   Day 5: Reach Out to Someone Who Has Influenced You Big Time. Okay, now you can text or call, or slide in a DM. But this time, make it someone you haven’t spoken to in awhile. Maybe save this one for an old teacher or friend. Let them know that you’re calling them to thank them for the difference they’ve made in your life.   Day 6: Hug Someone You Care About. Hugs actually have been proven to reduce stress and boost your immune system. So open up your arms and give someone a hug. If you get to this day and no one is around, shoot me an email and I will give you a VIRTUAL hug.    Day 7: Forgive Someone. Here’s the thing. This challenge is pretty easy. Say you’re grateful, do some nice things…OK. All of these exercises help us to build a gratitude practice and make us feel really good. But there’s something a lot of us need to do in order to feel even better. Forgive someone. A lot of us are holding onto anger, pain, and hurt that was “caused” by someone else. Make the hard choice to let something go. The thing is, holding onto anger does nothing to the other person, it just hurts you. Also, it’s really hard to be angry and grateful at the same time. Today is about gratitude. So, whatever happened – take a moment to find the good in it today. Whatever sliver of good you can find in it, then, make the conscious decision to let the bad go.   Create an amazing week!