ways to become more grateful

my boys bought me fresh flowers from the farmer’s market for mother’s day weekend

“now is where i am and where i always have been. the soul resides in the now and is therefore everliving and ever-existing. be, experience, feel, and live now because the only time you have is now and you are the most powerful in your present state.” | law of positivism 

it’s been awhile since i shared a ‘grateful heart’ post so today i thought i would share some ways to inspire gratefulness. a lot of times we do this at the end of each year, but i think it’s important to do this during every season. when you are grateful, you feel more content with your life, more motivated and passionate. 

here are ten small, practical steps for adding a bit more gratefulness to your daily life //

01. share your gratitude with others | who inspires you? who helped you? reach out and let them know… a simple ‘thank you’ goes such a long way. 

02. learn prayers for gratitude | i have found that prayers of gratitude are often the most powerful of all in my spiritual practice. the more you practice reciting them, the more you recognize the ultimate source of all you are and all you can ever be. 

03. listen to yourself more | one of my goals this year is to complain less about things without a solution because i feel like it just creates a negative outlook. instead, i want to try and be more conscious and focus on recognizing gratitude and the positive effect it has on my heart and on others. 

04. go through the motions | practicing the motions regularly: waving, greeting, smiling, writing notes 

05. focus on the everyday things | here is a list of seventy everyday things to be grateful for… but the list is endless!  

06. create a gratitude journal | a daily practice in which you remind yourself of benefits, grace, gifts, and all the good things you enjoy. 

07. become a healthier you | the more healthy you become, the more authentic and loving you show up

08. set your non-negotiables | i am working on a list of things that i want to do incirporate into every day, week and month; routines, experiences and things that bring me joy and make me want to be the best version of myself. at the top of the list: a hot shower each day, preferably in the morning (i love feeling refreshed and awake to start the day) 

09. think outside the box | if you want to make the most out of opportunities, be flexible, open-minded and creative to new situations in which you feel grateful 

10. embracing the wait | lately, i am becoming more aware of all of the time that we spend waiting and how prone i am to just hopping on my phone/social media. in the checkout line, when i wake up and the house is quiet, in the passenger seat, when nap time starts, in the carpool line, at an appointment/in the waiting room… and i am trying to be more aware. i feel like many of us have almost become uncomfortable during moments of stillness. i have been asking myself, “instead of scrolling my phone, what else could i do to pass my time- and actually enjoy my time waiting?” a book, create a new spotify playlist, and most importantly, communicate with someone… because the negative impact on my relationships, both new and old, is also becoming more evident as each year passes. 

-thirty-four weeks-

right after the baby sprinkle my close friends through for me last saturday, may 12

my heart was so full- i felt so loved. i could feel the love for our whole family that morning.

maternity dress . asos

an early morning trip to the farmer’s market

i love grabbing a cup of coffee, browsing and watching and feeling the city wake up

the decor at the baby sprinkle – it was all so sweet. i teared up right before looking at it all 

this week i tried a new coffee shop in charlotte | basal 

it was absolutely adorable, delicious and the staff was incredible (so friendly!!) 

i highly recommend.

again, the sprinkle was just so lovely and i am very appreciative 

i loved every moment; celebrating our baby boy with some of my favorite people in life. 

… 

what are some ways that you bring more gratitude into your life?