“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”   

The first time I read this quote, I was like “yeah whatever” I was too skeptical, too jaded and just plain suspicious. But when I was studying Positive Psychology I learned all the facts behind incorporating a Gratitude practice into your life.  Now that I have made a habit of giving thanks at even the smallest opportunity, I can 100% vouch for how magical this small practice is, how it literally transforms the ordinary and mundane into something exquisite & truly worth living. So Here’s another 5 reasons you need to keep a gratitude journal and scribbling all those wonderful things that you have in your life.

 

1. Gratitude Changes your Thought Patterns: studies have shown a strong mind-body connection. When we are feeling stressed, or anxious and let’s face it, who isn’t in this world Pandemic crisis? it can have a negative effect on our physical health..By switching your thoughts to all the things, events and people you are thankful for, you are creating positive thoughts and feelings and creating new neural pathways in your brain and reducing stress and anxiety. It will also remind you that whatever happens to you there is always something to feel thankful for. 

Your commitment to your gratitude journal refocuses your mind on positive events, conversations and relationships. This enables you to see more than just those negative ones that tend to fill your mind and dominate your thoughts when they happen. 

   

Another way your thought patterns will change is that you will find that you start pushing boundaries and removing limiting beliefs. This will happen as you not only keep your gratitude journal but also review it. You will find that your mind opens to new possibilities and you gain in self-confidence and knowledge.

 

2. Being Grateful Improves Your Health: the fact that there is a mind-body connection means that by focusing on positive thoughts and feelings in your gratitude journal you are helping to improve your physical and mental health. Studies have shown that regular gratitude journaling can not only;

 

(a) Relieves stress and anxiety 

(b) Improve your sleep

(c) Gain perspective on your life; BUT ……. 

 

3. Creates Optimism: some days it’s just too hard to see the wood for the trees. You can find yourself focusing on something that has upset you and that thought will nag away at you constantly. Taking some time to sit quietly and do a re-frame by thinking about something you are grateful for will help reduce the negative thoughts and feelings and replace them with positive ones.

 

4. Improved Sleep: regardless of whether you feel the need for eight hours sleep each night your body and mind do require a regular amount of sleep each night for optimal mental and physical health. Keeping a gratitude journal is fun, calming and a positive activity that promotes happy thoughts and feelings. Write out 3 things you’re grateful for before falling asleep and enjoy you’ll definitely sleep more peacefully and have happier dreams. 

5. It’s Fun: keeping a gratitude journal should be a fun enjoyable experience; something you look forward to. It doesn’t matter whether you use a plain notebook or a really fancy one, you can jazz it up by using different coloured pens or pencils, or even decorating the pages.

If you want to create a positive change in yourself and your life, then keeping a gratitude journal may just be the tool you are looking for. It’s cheap, easy and very beneficial to your physical and mental health. Now that’s a habit worth starting.

   

 

7 Habits That Lead to a Strong Success Mindset

 

 

To get what you want, whether it’s in your personal or professional life, you have to learn to do what works. For most people, this means creating a habit. But a habit isn’t something that never changes. A success habit is always evolving. 

 

Habit #1 – Make sure what you want is really what you want.  

 

 

Don’t do something just because you think you should. Check in with yourself every 30 days to make sure that the path you’re on is the one you want to stay on. Doing this prevents you from ending up with business models that don’t satisfy you. 

 

Make sure you’re not abandoning something out of fear of failure. There’s a big difference between doing what’s right for you and doing something that feels easier.  

 

 

Habit #2 – Begin every day with motivation.  

  

These are things that work to get you to take the next step. So if you need to go for a run to clear your head and get some time to think, then do that. If you need to use specific habits every morning in order to get into the flow, then let those habits be what compel you to get into your day. 

 

 

Starting off with motivational reminders is like eating breakfast in the morning – it helps fuel you throughout your day. Remember also to spend a minute or two looking back over your day and being proud of what you did accomplish. 

 

Habit #3 – Don’t chase success to the point that  you stop dreaming. 

 

Your success begins with an idea, a hope – a dream. If you go all out, driving hard, keeping your nose to the grindstone, you can reach the point where your mindset becomes fixed. You need to not just see the result you’re working towards but remember this is a journey to enjoy and learn.

 

 

Sometimes it becomes a chore to just blast through a task list – especially if you forget about why you’re doing everything. Always revisit your goal and remember why you want this.

 

 

Habit #4 – Make sure you leave room to grow. 

 

You need to have a success mindset that keeps you learning even when you feel you’ve made it. There’s always something else that you can learn. Seek out new resources online, keep learning and perfecting your skill set.

 

Habit #5 – Answer to someone else.  

  

You want to have someone in your life that you’re accountable to. Make time to meet with someone who can help keep you on track for reaching your success. You want this person to be someone who can tell you when you’re driving yourself too hard and someone who can help steer you around pitfalls. Or get a coach that you resonate with,

  

If you’d like to get a feel if coaching is right for you – you can get a free 30 minute Life-re boot strategy session with me – it’s totally free with no obligation to sign up to anything. This is my gift to help you get unstuck. 

https://Life-rebootClarityConsult.as.me/booking 

 

Habit #6 – Learn to trust yourself.  

  

When you go after what you want in life, they’ll always be someone waiting to tell you their opinion. Everyone has a built-in alarm that sounds if something is off. In Human Design, it’s called your unique Decision Making Strategy  and makes sure you are making choices and decisions that are correct for you and not relying on other people or your mental constructs to decide for you. 

  

Habit #7 – Understand that roadblocks are going to happen. 

 

You have to decide ahead of time that you won’t give up – you won’t surrender. a growth mindset to a fixed one. Roadblocks can often be used as character builders. They can strengthen your resolve. and help you learn to become more resourceful as you find another way to do what you want to get done. If you become too comfortable with your efforts, you often don’t achieve the ultimate success that you’re after. 

 

Having a strong mindset in life, whether for your personal or professional satisfaction, requires a combination of positive thoughts and verifiable action steps. 

 

Whenever you do something and start to feel a bit of shame over, (like quitting on a project), ask yourself “am I doing this because you don’t believe I can succeed.”?

 

If that ‘s what’s happening, take the task and break it up into micro-sized mini goals that you can work on. Sometimes, it’s the simple fact that a project seems too big that ruins many of our best plans. 

 

It’s also a good idea to surround yourself with action-taking, positive people. Take inventory of the who you’re currently surrounded with. Are they inspiring or do they always complain about everything?

 

Do you find yourself commiserating with people stuck in the same boat as you? If so, jump out and swim to shore – because that boat is sinking fast, and you don’t want to be swallowed up by the pity party they’re throwing for themselves. 

  

Seek out motivational experts whose thoughts align with what you find inspiring. Tune in to their messages or read their books daily as if you’re taking a vitamin designed to prevent illness. 

 

Over time, you’re going to become a role model. someone who others look to for support, and you’ll notice they come to you with fixed mindsets. They’ll be attracted to the positivity you project. Make sure you turn their mind around, rather than letting their limited thoughts infect you.

 

‘Do you Want to know your unique Decision Making Strategy so you can always be making the correct decision that are right for you?  Would you like to know your 16 Career/Business Success Codes which are encoded in your DNA? they’re found in your unique Human Design chart and holds the blueprint of what makes you you, so email me at amanda@amandaokeeffe.com or to get your free chart- It’s unique to you I just need you to answer 3 personal questions = that’s it, no more needed.  The acorn doesn’t know it’s an Oak tree until it does, its the same for us. Locked within our DNA is our true potential.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

https://Life-rebootClarityConsult.as.me/booking