If you’re like me, you try to be mindful of all the good things in your life.
But gratitude is a practice and doesn’t always come easily.
It’s common to focus on what we think is missing in our lives. It’s normal to give attention to things we want but don’t have. We might compare ourselves to others or judge ourselves by what we think is lacking.
The human brain tends to dwell on things we think are going wrong rather than focus attention on things that are going right. This is our brain’s negativity bias.
When you are aware of this negativity bias, you can then learn to shift your thoughts from focusing on the negative to paying attention to the positive.
One way to do this is through a gratitude practice.
When we tap into feelings of gratitude, it helps us feel even more positive about our life circumstances. It also improves our health, and our relationships and brings about kindness, compassion and generosity.
So, with the purpose of improving your sense of wellbeing, I am recommending a writing exercise to help you focus on what is good in your life. It’s called the “I Want” exercise.
Get a piece of paper and a pen.
List the numbers 1-25 on the paper.
Write down 25 things you WANT that you already HAVE. Yes, write down what you want that you actually already have.
For example,
I want to live in my neighborhood in Brooklyn
I want to have kind, loving, and supportive friends
I want to be a Nutritional Therapist & Holistic Wellness Coach
I want to see the B-52’s in October
I want a thriving aloe vera plant
I want a flexible schedule
I want to create and host a weekly podcast that helps and inspires people
This exercise offers a different take on gratitude. It provides an opportunity for you to focus on what you already have and increases your awareness of the abundance already existing in your life.
Love, Your Wellness Coach,
Alyssa
P.S. Join me for today’s podcast episode 76, “Wanting What You Have (A Gratitude Exercise).”
June 8, 2022
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