What to do When Your Gratitude Practice Gets Boring (Plus a Freebie!)
Note: There is a first come, first serve freebie at the end of this post, so scroll down for all the info on how to get yours.
I recently got a question from one of my Life Editing for Beginners participants about how to add some fun into your gratitude practice.
She asked, “What do you suggest when a gratitude practice starts to feel routine and doesn’t have the same impact?” She explained that she can stick to writing in her gratitude journal for a few months but then gets bored with it.
Step 1 of the Life Editing Process is Create a Foundation. Your foundation is all the good things that are present in your life right now; ie, what’s working for you. It’s about focusing on gratitude so you’ll have the energy and motivation to continue editing your life.
Honestly, gratitude practices can seem silly and boring—I even wrote a blog post about it!
But the benefits of a gratitude practice (peace, clarity of purpose, a sense of contentment, etc.) far outweigh the tedious aspects. Here are 5 ways to reignite your attitude of gratitude.
Simplify, Simplify
If you’ve read Gretchen Rubin’s book, The Happiness Project, you might be familiar with the idea of a 1-sentence journal. It’s a simple way to take the stress and obligation out of a gratitude practice.
Instead of feeling required to write page after page of things you’re thankful for in your gratitude journal, all you do is write one sentence about something that makes you feel good. Easy peasy!
Make It Crafty
If writing in a journal isn’t your thing, perhaps you’d like to get a bit more creative and crafty. Set up a beautiful Thank You Jar to hold all your little blessings.
Choose a mason jar, fishbowl, or other clear container, then cut up strips of scrapbook paper or use a stack of colorful Post-Its. Every day, write down one thing you’re grateful for and tuck it in the jar. The jar makes a lovely display piece as the notes add up.
Dump out the jar and read your thank yous once a month, on your birthday, quarterly, or choose another special day or holiday. Chris and I do this for the entire month of November and then read them while we eat our pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. Yum!
Get Other People Involved
Sometimes it’s easier to stick with a gratitude practice if you have a buddy. You could make the Thank You Jar a family project or simply ask each person at the dinner table to share the best part of their day.
Chris and I choose the best part of our days right before we go to sleep. You could also text a friend at the end of your work day and share the happy, funny, or inspiring things that make you feel thankful.
Make a Ritual
If your gratitude practice feels like a chore—“Oh no, I gotta write in my journal again.”—you could try to make it a sacred ritual instead. When it feels special, you’ll be more likely to keep up with it.
Wake up early to watch the sunrise, brew a pot of your favorite tea, and curl up someplace cozy. Say a gratitude prayer or listen to soothing music. Naming your items of gratitude while you meditate or do yoga is a refreshing way to start your day too.
Link It to a Trigger
We’re all human, and sometimes you just might forget about your gratitude practice entirely—whoops! That’s OK. You can make it easier to remember if you link your practice to another trigger.
For example, you always brush your teeth in the morning, right? While you shine up your molars, mentally list 5 things you’re grateful for. Or set an alarm on your phone to go off during your afternoon slump, pause your work for a second, and think of something that makes you happy.
I hope these suggestions help you add some pizzazz back into your gratitude practice.
A Special Freebie for You!
Here’s a question for you: It’s one thing to know what you’re grateful for now…but what do you want to be grateful for by the end of the year?
What Do You Want This Fall?
- To get a new job…where you actually get paid what you’re worth!
- To start your own business…and say goodbye to the corporate world!
- To take care of your mind, body, and spirit…and finally put yourself first!
- To make a plan to reach your ginormous goal…and start living your dream!
- To get rid of your emotional and physical clutter…and edit your life in the best possible way!
I’ve got a special freebie for you to help you rock your fall goals so you won’t be able to think of a single new year’s resolution come January.
They’re Baaaacck!!!
Free Life Editing Goals Call For You!
I’m giving away free Life Editing Goals Calls to the first 10 people who send an email to sage@sagegrayson.com. Please type “Goals Call” in the subject line.
How the Life Editing Goals Call Works and What You Get
- A 60-minute one-on-one call with me though Skype, Google Hangouts, or by phone. Your choice.
- Choose your most urgent problem or messy situation that you want to focus on for the remainder of the year and come to the call prepared to make big changes.
- We’ll work through the 5-step Life Editing Process for your goals.
- You’ll come away with a 3-Month Goals Action Plan full of doable strategies to delete, add, and rearrange the parts of your life into a perfect flow.
What People Are Saying
- “I reached my income goal 2 weeks after our first session! With Sage’s help, I increased my email subscribers by 324 in only 3 weeks. Before that, my list wasn’t growing. And my Facebook followers have steadily increased since working with Sage.” Fanny Seto, Living Richly on a Budget
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- “Sage taught me how easy it is to develop an action plan for every single goal and to implement each one step by step while taking rests, having fun, and celebrating my successes.” Inese Maria (Bernsone), IneseMaria.com
- “Sage got me off the treadmill and onto the road by helping me understand that I could actually launch my business by taking a few products from start to finish.” Julie Benningfield, Modular Miniatures
- “Sage doesn’t judge me when I don’t reach a goal or if I fall a little short. She listens and then asks, ‘What needs to be done to accomplish this?’ Then we work through what I need to do.” Lori McDonald, Journeys By Lori
Click here for more Client Testimonials.
What are you waiting for? Let’s edit your life and rock your fall goals!
These free Life Editing Goals Calls are first come, first serve, so send an email to sage@sagegrayson.com ASAP to reserve your call.
What are you grateful for?
In the comments below, share your gratitude practice, plus your goals for the end of the year.
This post focuses on Step 1 of the Life Editing Process, Create a Foundation. For more about life editing and what it can do for you, click here.
Another great post Sage! I’m horrible and don’t have a gratitude practice right now (at least not a tangible one) but I LOVE LOVE LOVE your idea to make it crafty. I think it’s so cute to have a beautiful display and it is also a great reminder each time you see it. Such a fun idea and definitely something I want to do and what better time than the fall, my favorite time of the year!
Thanks, Sarah. If you go on Pinterest and search “gratitude jar” or “thank you jar” you’ll find a ton of gorgeous, crafty versions. Make one for Thanksgiving! 🙂