How to Have a Great Day
ONE OF THE EASIEST WAYS TO INFLUENCE OUR MOODS AND PERSPECTIVE IS THROUGH EXPRESSING GRATITUDE.
Set aside a few minutes every morning to express gratitude and watch how good it makes you feel.
If we set aside a few minutes first thing every morning to express gratitude for the things we are thankful for in our lives, we will have happier days and will be more likely to do the things required to lose weight.
Expressing gratitude makes us happier and gives us the mood and perspective to say “no” to unhealthy foods and “yes” to exercise.
Set aside sometime each morning (preferably as soon as you wake up – or your child wakes you up!) to do some positive thinking as this will colour your whole day.
What am I happy about in my life now? What about that makes me happy?
What am I excited about in my life now?
What am I proud about in my life now?
What am I grateful for?
What am I enjoying the most?
What am I committed to?
Who do I love? Who loves me?
We can use this method any time of day, but by grabbing hold of our mood and perspective early in the day we have the biggest influence on how we feel throughout the day. Setting aside a few minutes first thing in the morning to set yourself up for success is one of the best investments of time you can make.
As busy mums, we have many demands placed on us and we have to put up with complaining, sulking, and temper tantrums. Our kids can add to the stress and annoyance that weigh on our spirits and bring our mood down.
By starting the day using simple methods to improve your mood, you can shield yourself against the negative influences that conspire to bring you down.
After a hard day and a sleepless night, it can be hard to even contemplate being thankful.
When we compare our lives to those of moms in many third-world countries, the amount we have to be grateful for really starts to stand out.
In Australia, 4 out of 1,000 mums lose a child before they reach 5 years of age. In Angola, the sad truth is that 157 mums out of 1,000 lose a child before they reach 5 years of age.
So think about your own life. What do you have to be grateful for?
Start with the most basic and fundamental things and work your way up from there. When you wake up in the morning, you can be grateful for the fact you woke up! Each day we have on earth is a blessing and one we can be thankful for. It’s certainly a good place to start!
What can you be thankful for next?
All of us have more to be grateful for. Each of us is a unique individual who has our own things we can be grateful for. How you express your thankfulness is completely up to you.
Some moms like to recite the things they are thankful for. Some moms like to write them out in a gratitude journal. Other mums like to simply lie back in bed (or the shower) and run through the things they are grateful for in their minds.
Whatever method works for you, start your day by running through the things you give thanks for. You will soon find you are having more “good days” than “bad days” and your perspective on life is improved.
You’ll also find it much easier to say“no”to unhealthy foods and “yes” to exercise.
We at In Shape Mommy would like to express our thanks to you because we know showing gratitude helps us be happier and healthier! Be grateful and be strong sisters!