It is a game changer. Being grateful will lift your spirit, increase your energy and make you feel CERTAIN that you can do it.

WEEK 7: GRATITUDE

I used to think that gratitude is something that only hippies do. When I thought about it my mind would always generate the same picture: drunk or high ‘flower kids’ who did not seem to live in the real world. But I lived in the real world where we don’t go around and smile when things are bad. Even though I’ve heard about it on many occasions I did not want to try it. Until I was so stressed that I could not see a way out. I was in a bad shape mentally and physically. And again, my coach asked me to start doing my gratitude list every evening. It felt really silly at the beginning, but it was working. My sleep has improved, and I get less stressed. I also realised that I used it a lot in my life before, only in my mind and without putting a label to it. So how does it work?

When you do your gratitude list you simply shift your focus. You stop thinking about all these things that went wrong and you put in a massive effort to focus on what went great that day. Because is it not true that if 5 things go right and 1 thing goes wrong we will continuously focus on the one that went wrong? And when we do it all the other successes are erased from our memory and start feeling like failures?

When you are trying to make a lifestyle shift, many things may go wrong. We have stronger and weaker days. We do 5 things right and 1 thing wrong continuously and that is normal. But if you start focusing on that one, not perfect action, you lose your focus, you lose your drive, you feel like you have failed already. You’re off the wagon and don’t have the strength to get back on it again. You’ll lose momentum and you are back where you’ve started.

Being able to notice all the small things will also help you appreciate your success at the end. Did you know that many women lose weight and look great but still feel unhappy? If during the process of weight loss, you can only see all that effort or sacrifice, you will not feel happy at the end. Making a gratitude list make you see all the benefits you are getting on your journey. It feels easier and happier. And making that change fun and exciting will change the way you feel when you get there!

Your task for this week is to start making your gratitude list. Every evening write all the things that happen during the day that you are grateful for. And write everything there, the bigger and smaller things that made you feel good, including the beautiful sunset. Be grateful for the simple things and it will be easier for you to make a shift, stay focused and feel great.

Every morning you will start your day with reading your gratitude list from last night or repeating it in your memory.

Please make sure you do this exercise. As silly as it sounds it is a powerful tool. It is simple, but it will change your mood, will help you feel good during the day, will make all the daily tasks easier. Will make you see more opportunities and have better relations with people during the day. It will shift your energy, efficiency and effectiveness. It will make you succeed and have fun with it! Therefore it is so powerful!

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GRATITUDE