As the holiday season kicks off (Happy Thanksgiving!), we just wanted to remind everyone that there are always ways to practice gratitude (no matter what kind of year you’ve had).
Here at the Financial Gym Advisors, we strongly believe that practicing gratitude is an important routine and can lead to a happier, healthier, more fulfilled life.
Here are some activities to try to practice gratitude this holiday season.
Take an Inventory of What You Already Have
We see lots of clients come to the Gym with a scarcity mindset. If you suffer from a scarcity mindset, then you feel like there’s not enough pie to go around for everyone. You feel like you might only get crumbs and that there’s not enough for you. To combat a scarcity mindset and practice gratitude for what you already have, it might be beneficial for you to take an inventory of your life.
Do you have a place to live? Do you get to eat every day? Do you have a job? Guess what? You’re already “richer” than most people in the world. It’s true!
Take out a piece of paper and physically write down everything you already have. Your list could look like:
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My home
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Good food
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Clean air
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A job that pays the bills
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My pet
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A loving partner or family
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Great friends
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My health (this one is especially important this year!)
When you actively think of how much you already have, you’re focused on gratitude. Focusing on gratitude can help you get away from thinking there’s never enough. It can show that you are already rich in so many ways. Wealth doesn’t always have to mean money. You can be rich in health, relationships, and opportunities. Let that feeling of abundance wash over you as you continue to get your money together.
Meditate
If there is anything that the past few years have taught us, it’s that taking time for yourself is crucial for most people’s mental health. Even just 10-15 minutes a day can help reframe your mindset and set you on a better path for the rest of your day.
When you’re burned out or stressed, the immediate feeling of it can be hard to manage. Regardless of what scenarios you come across this holiday, honor yourself by acknowledging and sitting with these feelings. Once you’ve given yourself time to respect how you feel, reconnecting with your breath can offer clarity to the situation.
A 10-minute guided meditation can help you release tension in high-stress circumstances and can bring balance to your perspective. There are a few meditation apps available, such as Calm and Headspace, that can walk you through a short meditation on your phone.
Meditation can also help you take a deeper dive into relationships, hobbies, and other aspects of your life that you may not recognize without meditating. This practice will likely strengthen your relationship with yourself and in turn with others. Taking time to realize how important those in your life are to you, will only stimulate your gratitude practice.
Focus on the Future
Try to focus on growth and not lack. Work on shifting thoughts of scarcity to growth and abundance. When you’re in a scarcity mindset you focus on what you don’t have, what you don’t earn, etc. Instead, take action and focus on growth.
Become a problem solver and focus on growth. How can you earn more money? How can you reach your goals? Then reverse engineer it and figure out next steps. Ask for that raise. Take that side hustle. Read inspirational books and listen to great podcasts (like Martinis and Your Money! and Financially Naked) to keep you focused on growth and the future.
Take a moment to be grateful for where you are and become excited for where you are going.
