Before COVID I was a freelance travel marketer and photographer which means my business relied on me being able to travel. When the world shut down – I lost everything I had spent the last five years building. It was hard not to feel bad for myself in those first couple of months. By the time late April and May rolled around I knew I had to stop having this pity party for myself. That’s when I started practicing daily gratitude. I have seen SUCH a shift in myself and my mindset since adopting a gratitude practice. I truly believe that gratitude is the easiest way to transform your mindset and reprogram your subconscious mind. Here’s is how a simple daily gratitude practice changed my life:
As a reminder: I am not a doctor, nor do I claim to be! Any claims in this article are based on my personal experience and research. Please read my full medical disclaimer before engaging with my content or anecdotes. Also, as a reminder, this post contains affiliate links to certain products and I may earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) if you make a purchase based off of my suggestions.
How a Simple Daily Gratitude Practice Changed My Life
There are so many ways that my simple daily gratitude practice changed my life. From handling stress easier to not letting the small stuff sweat me anymore – gratitude has positively impacted my overall life. There are a few major changes that I’ve seen in my life since adopting a gratitude practice. Here is how a simple gratitude practice changed my life:
Went From Victim to Victor
First and foremost – gratitude has shifted me out of the victim mindset and into a “victor” mindset. Gratitude has empowered me to take hold of my life and truly believe in myself and my capabilities. I have my life in my own hands and I am no longer a victim of the things that happen to me or a victim of my circumstances. Now, I’m more resilient and I can roll with the things that are thrown my way in a more empowering manner.
I Find the Good in Everything (Even the “Bad”)
Before I practiced gratitude when something “bad” would happen I would take on the mentality that it was the end of the world. However, now I have the mentality that when something “bad” happens it just means it’s time to make a shift! Now, I trust that if something “bad” happens it’s because it’s shifting to ultimately work out for the greater good.
Cultivated a Positive/Optimistic Mindset
Practicing gratitude everyday has substantially reduced my negativity. I used to find the negative spin on everything. Since allowing the simple practice of gratitude to change my life – I look to find the positive spin on everything!
Appreciate EVERYTHING
I used to be in a space where I would compare what I have or who I am with what everyone else had or what other people were. But now since cultivating a gratuitous mindset – I deeply appreciate EVERYTHING. I am so grateful for my life and to be me. I would not change a single thing about my life. I also would not trade anything I have or anything that I am for something that someone else has.
Gratitude has made me deeply appreciate every aspect of my life. The ups, the downs, the lefts and rights. I am so appreciative that I can often find myself crying tears of gratitude for the simplest of things!
Am More Relaxed
I used to be on edge about everything. I would be ready to argue at the drop of a dime – for no real reason outside of being on edge. Now, I just feel like it’s not worth it. The energy that it takes to be angry all the time is HARD TO DEAL WITH. I don’t miss being tense and on edge, at all.
Now I can find relaxation with ease whereas I used to struggle to relax. In the past I would go for a massage and lying on the table it was hard to relax! I can’t tell you how many times a masseuse has told me, “you have to relax”.
Now I even go out of my way to cultivate a relaxing space for myself. I ensure that my space is clean and organized, where it used to be in disarray.
You May Also Like:
❧ 8 Small-ish Changes that had BIG Impacts on My Well-Being and Mental Health
❧ Common Mistakes People Make When Trying to Change Their Life
❧ Easy Daily Habits That Can Change Your Life
❧ Why I Aligned my Lifestyle with My Natural Circadian Rhythm (And How You Can, Too)
No Longer Suffer from Anxiety
I used to suffer from anxiety and I was prescribed Xanax for anxiety. Now, I can’t even remember the last time I took a Xanax or felt like I needed one. Since leaning into a gratuitous mindset – I just simply don’t suffer from anxiety anymore. My trust and faith now run deeper than my fear and anxiety ever did.
Overthink My Faith Instead of Overthinking my Fear
I used to always overthink my fears – consistently ruminating in my head over the different “what could go wrong” scenarios. Now, since adopting a gratuitous mindset and practicing gratitude – I overthink my faith. I try not to ruminate but if I do – I think of all the different “what could go right” scenarios. This is also a concept I dove into in my manifesting mindset series on YouTube – if you want to manifest, you need to overthink your faith!
Can Handle Sad Feelings Better
No matter how much work we do on ourselves and how positive of a mindset we cultivate – sad times are inevitable. Sadness is just part of the human experience. Sadness, or even depression, is an inevitability at certain points in our lives. However, since adopting gratitude – I don’t fall into my sadness as hard as I used to.
Don’t Get Knocked Down as Easily
I used to get knocked down really easily but since adding a gratitude practice into my life I’m a lot more resilient. A great example of this is my YouTube channel. I started posting videos back in January and over the last seven-ish months I’ve only gained around 200 subscribers. Yet, every week – I show up to post my videos.
I don’t let the lack of views or subscribers get to me because I know that creating these articles and videos are where I belong right now and I trust that. I’m not letting the façade of “success” (through subscribers, etc) knock me down and I’m definitely not letting it make me give up.
Deeper Trust
The most impactful way that a gratitude practice has changed my life is through the deep trust and faith that I developed. Going back to mentioning the lack of subscribers or views on my videos – even though those “results” aren’t there… I have a deep faith and trust that I’m where I belong. And that’s invaluable.
All in all – gratitude has truly changed my life. On top of everything listed above, since adopting gratitude I’ve also started comparing myself to others less and have a deeper focus on myself and my own growth. Overall, since creating a simple gratitude practice – I just have an easier time dealing with the ups and downs of life.
Like it? Pin it!
