Why I Started Practicing Gratitude During a Time of Uncertainty

Life during the coronavirus pandemic has been anything but normal. It’s been crazy, exhausting, confusing, and an overall emotional rollercoaster. I honestly go through multiple emotions everyday and started realizing that I can’t worry about what I can’t control.

I can’t control the COVID-19 pandemic. I can’t control millions of people losing their jobs over the past month. I can’t control not being able to go to the movies, on summer vacation, or anywhere fun!!! (I know, I’m being pathetic 😢)

I have to worry about what I can control to focus on what I have instead of what I don’t have. Instead of thinking and voicing my opinion about not being able to go on vacation or the possibility of celebrating my 30th birthday at home I will simply focus on what I have.

I’ve been reading about people taking a few minutes each day to practice having gratitude to help refocus their energy, uplift their mood when they are having a bad day and decided that this was the perfect time to try doing this myself. What if I took a few days each morning after I wake up to say out loud what I am grateful for having? Instead of waking and taking a look at the news, I can wakeup remembering what I’m grateful to have in my life and start my day on a positive note.

For the past week, I’ve been practicing gratitude. After my alarm goes off, I drink a glass of water, sit cross-legged in my bed, and begin my one minute practice. I take a few deep breaths and I say out loud, “I’m grateful that I woke up this morning. I’m grateful for my health. I’m grateful for my family. I’m grateful that I have a job and I’m able to have a roof over my head”. And that’s it!

It sounds simple and to be honest it is. The hardest part was remembering to do this before I left the bed and started my day. After day 4, I could tell that I was much more positive and energetic in the morning. Just by saying out loud what I’m grateful for having made me more aware of what I have when so many people right now are struggling.

I wish I would have started this years ago. Too often I have been focused on what I don’t have as a way to motivate myself to achieve a goal when I didn’t think to take a step back and realize what I already have. Even though what I am grateful for may seem insignificant or simple for someone else, it’s truthful and meaningful to me. I’m not doing it for anyone but myself.

Have you practiced showing gratitude? If not, can you see this working for you? Feel free to comment below!