A Journey Towards Self-Gratitude

When I started working with an Ayurveda health consultant, one of the first things she tasked me with was including a daily self-gratitude during my morning meditation sessions. It didn’t take long into our first meeting for her to sense my attitude towards myself. Underneath my peaceful, playful yet competitive demeanor was frustration, blame, and anger towards my body for not releasing the tension, stress, and anxiety I longed to let go of.  Amidst the hard work, lofty goals, and perseverance that I have long prided myself on, swirled this subtle, sometimes not so subtle, verbal self-sabotage that was preventing me from being all that I could be. 

So I was assigned self-gratitude homework. And it worked. With consistency and routine, I began to feel the shift in my mental and emotional states. My body soon followed. 

Self-gratitude boosts confidence by decreasing the tendency to compare oneself to others, builds self-esteem, counters negative self-talk, and shifts the mindset from flaws to strengths.

One way to practice self-compassion and self-love is through positive affirmations. Research shows that positive affirmations and expressing gratitude toward oneself have a significant influence on our well-being, leading to improved health benefits mentally, physically, and emotionally. The key to feeling the benefits of this practice is consistency. You can create consistency by incorporating it into your daily routine as part of your morning practice, in the evening before you turn in, or at a regular time that resonates with you. 

" As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them." - Mahatma Gandhi

Like most things worth pursuing, it is a slow process, but it is well worth it. All it takes is for you to show up each day with an open heart and open mind.

Practicing self-gratitude is like replenishing the soil with the nutrients it needs for flowers to bloom to their fullest potential.

I hope you will join me and download the Weekly Self-Gratitude sheet.

RerootGratitudeLog.pdf

Download PDF • 117KB

bloom wild; be free

Stephanie