Let's Practice More Gratitude Worksheet
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I am a little concerned, not worried, but I think a lot about all of you out there. Us. The people who struggle with mental health issues. Especially during this time of the year, we tend to struggle a little more. Not because, we are lost souls, but fall, winter, and seasonal changes can really mess with our moods, even though we might feel fantastic today.
We are missing out of light, our bio rhythms are off, and the dark and short days make it hard for us to actually experience a lot outside. We tend to get home or spend a lot more time inside, many of us alone, all by themselves. There are many factors which can add to some heavy emotional roller coasters this season. Even if we are not wanting this in our lives, it can simply happen. Also be aware: this can happen to anyone.
I have my own experience with seasonal affective disorder, also called SAD, and I know it is not fun to feel sad or simply tired and exhausted during a time where we are supposed to feel happy and merry.
Plenty of duties, gatherings, planning, and rushing through 25 days of craziness. This is actually a lot for our systems...but we keep on going through the same stress each year. Many of us accept feeling a little tired and off throughout winter and especially during the holiday season...
After I had my first experiences with SAD, I decided to conquer this and find ways to not dismiss this out of my life or basically prevent it, no, I find ways how to turn this energy into something positive.
I always acknowledge my anxiety. It's my body language and I need to communicate and work with this instead of beating it down or getting rid of it in unhealthy ways.
I am learning my patterns, I feed my body with the things it needs, and I do a lot of extra work to have a less serious drama when it is suddenly appearing.
Again, I acknowledge it and I am not becoming the enemy.
One thing which is always a great and big help is the practice of gratitude.
When I came around the term, I was confused. I thought I was already grateful. I was annoyed thinking I need to slow down after every act of the day, saying thank you, and being super aware of every action of my day. WRONG.
Practicing gratitude has no recipe and we can all design it the way we want to. Very importantly, we are in control of our actions, so we decide how much work we will put into this without being exhausted.
It is that simple.
We can make this practice a morning or evening ritual. Saying a prayer, thanking for the day, thanking for friendships or advice you've got that day. You can thank your body, your whole system. You can be happy about the sunshine outside or a great dinner you enjoyed.
Your gratitude is your own vibe.
The beautiful thing about it is that you will slowly feel the changes in your body. The more you practice mindfulness and gratitude, the more zen you become.
You automatically feed your body with the things that make you vibrate high. That's why I want to share a new free sheet with you today. Your personal gratitude sheet. Spend the holidays with less worries and thoughts about things you can't control.
This is about you.
How you feel.
Keep the things that make you smile close to you. Be kind, be mindful, and practice gratitude. It can be the small things this holiday which will make you smile. You might experience a bad day, but at the end of the day when thinking about the day again, you might remember a good moment which actually changes the whole narrative of the day. A little spark is all we need and the story will take a sudden positive change... I promise.
Practice this throughout the year, not only Christmas.
I hope you find many moments this month where you can reflect and slow down a little bit. Use those dark moments not to feel sad, but to rebuild your routine. The trees are naked, waiting for spring to happen so they can bloom again. Do the same. Practice, practice, practice, and when spring is coming, you will feel free and vibing.
We can always make it through the dark days. Alone or together.
A good preparation is all we need.
Happy healing!