In an effort to inject some positivity into my daily mindset and the online world I have created a Daily Gratitude Challenge and I am inviting everyone to participate. If you have missed my introductory post that explains the challenge and maps out the daily post schedule, visit here.

Day 1 focuses on the little things – the everyday things that are all too easy to take for granted. Whether it is that first cup of coffee in a morning, a letter from a friend, a beautiful sunset or the unconditional love of a pet, there are lots of things in our daily lives that pass us by without acknowledgement.

This is the beauty of a daily gratitude challenge – taking the time to look at the small things that make each day positive allows us to live a more mindful and appreciative life.

The Little Things I am Grateful For

A new day and a new month. I always like the beginning of a new month – with all of the possibilities of what can be achieved.

Those mornings when your bed feels extra comfortable, which is always the case when I know that I need to get up and start work.

The fresh feeling I get after having a bath and drying my hair.

A hug while I am making dinner or a random compliment from The Bloke. Always makes me feel good.

A morning cuddle from the cat. While he generally has a knack of being able to put himself into the most inconvenient places (especially when I’m trying to work), I take time just to appreciate the love and affection he likes to bestow on me and let him know that he is loved very much, even when he dribbles on me or wakes me up a 4.00am demanding his breakfast.

The glorious weather. We have experienced unusually hot weather over the last few months, and to stand outside in the sunshine, a slight breeze, the smell of the flowers in the garden and the ambient noise from the birds has been lovely. I love this time of year.

Texts and calls from family and friends, just to see how I am.

Creativity. Writing, reading, admiring a beautiful piece of artwork – being able to read and write is something that so many of us take for granted. Being able to take out a notebook and write something down is something that seems incredibly small, but I’m grateful for days when I am able to do so.

Laughter. Even on the worst of days, having a hearty laugh about something is good for the mind, body and soul. I’m grateful that I have someone who makes me laugh every single day.

A glass of cold water on a hot day. To go to the tap and pour a glass of clean water on a hot day is something that I absolutely take for granted, but with the fact that 780 million people worldwide don’t have the same, this is something that I have been mindfully trying to be conscious of every time I do so.

The space and time I need to regroup. On days when I am overwhelmed I sometimes need some time to myself to relax. I am given this without having to provide detailed explanations, and I value my me time.

Freshly washed clothes and sheets that have been dried outside. There’s no better feeling than climbing into bed with clean sheets, while wearing freshly laundered pyjamas.

The peace and quiet of Saturday afternoons, where I can fall asleep on the couch while watching a Disney film. I don’t have anywhere to go nor have to do anything, and it’s bliss.

Breathing. Taking a few moments just to breathe is something that I do on a daily basis. I find it difficult to meditate, but slow breathing has lots of calming properties.

Want to participate in the Daily Gratitude Challenge?

There are lots of ways in which you can participate in the Daily Gratitude Challenge:

• Write a blog post about the little things in life that you are most grateful for and share it in the comment section below.
• Share your Daily Gratitude posts in my daily link-ups on my Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #DailyGratitudeChallenge.
• Share your images for the topic of the day on Instagram, tag my Instagram account (@suzie81speaks) and use the hashtag #DailyGratitudeChallenge and I will share as many as I can on my Instagram stories.
• Join my Pinterest Group Board and share your Daily Gratitude posts.

Are we connected on social media?

Follow me on Twitter here.

Follow my Facebook page here.

Follow me on Instagram here.

Follow me on Pinterest here.

 

Want to know more about the benefits of daily gratitude? Read this excellent article from Happier Human here.