What happens when you practice gratitude?

One pivotal element to Project Phoenix is the practice of gratitude, creating a “glass half full” outlook and looking for what is right in your life instead of what’s wrong.  Gratitude focuses your attention on things that you may not have noticed, or innocently have taken for granted.

When you reflect on the simple things in your life: people, objects, the things which make a difference, the things which are present in your life, you experience less pessimism, fear and anxiety. Anthony Robbins, the motivational speaker said, “when you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears”. I believe this to be true.

“Since beginning ‘the testing’ of project phoenix, I have adopted powerful daily exercises which create the attitude of gratitude throughout my whole life.  I am decidedly more aware of simple blessings in my life. I am able to be thankful for the ‘little things which bring me joy and peace on a daily basis, whether that’s the bed that kept me comfortable whilst I slept, the mirror which reflects my true self and enables deep healing, the cup which holds my tea, the soup bubbling in the pan as well as the ‘important stuff like my dearest friends, loved ones and family members (I name each of them all individually) the sun for rising giving us all another days life etc.

By instigating my daily gratitude exercise I have been able to live in the present moment for longer periods of time. I notice that my emotional set-point is more positive than negative which is crucial when recovering from extreme stress, burnout and M.E. This has helped me dwell less on the mistakes, upset and pains from the past or ruminate on the “what ifs” of the future.”

If you are looking to become less stressed or to live in the present moment I wholeheartedly advise that you start a daily practice of gratitude. It truly creates a significant improvement. I strongly suggest that you keep a daily gratitude and success journal until your mood has improved significantly, it really helps you to live more at the moment and focus more on the good things in life as opposed to the challenges.

Attitude

Closely related to gratitude is attitude.  Adopting a positive attitude to life can help you navigate your way through the many challenges with ease.

“In the past, I was a pessimist – always waiting for the next disaster- and of course, one always came along, my life was like a soap opera!  I expected the worst and I was never disappointed.  I failed to recognise two things: firstly, when your mood is low your perception of everything about your life is low-grade; including other people, situations and circumstances. The other point I had not considered was how the human brain works – always trying ‘fix’.

I now see how my brain was suggesting everything that could go wrong and I was considering/ planning exactly what to do should the events occur. Often ‘those things did go wrong, and I lurched from one disaster to another. I created such sadness, stress and negativity in my life. I wasted so much time and energy needlessly worrying about catastrophes which never happened. Instead, I could have invested my mental and emotional energy in reaching my goals and fulfilling my dreams. Thank goodness I figured out how it works!

Since then, I have become keenly attuned to my thoughts and the impact that they have on my health and well-being, as well as my whole life experience.

My increased awareness has allowed me to question my thoughts and assess how they are serving me, I frequently remind myself of  Mike Dooley’s famous catchphrase  ‘thoughts create’ coupling this understanding. I have learned to shift my thinking to a more positive state as soon as I realise that I am engaging in ‘sinking thinking’ simply by using my body, and my feelings, as a barometer. Thankfully, these days I spend less time each day in a negative space.”

Two of the steepest learning curves I have ever made about creating long-term change are: how thought works and how to raise your emotional vibration from negative to positive through the practice of gratitude.

Learn more about Project Phoenix coaching here.