I am kind of embarrassed to admit that I am pretty new to meditation. I should have started this practice sooner than I did, but boy am I glad that I started.

Meditation has shifted my perspective and has pushed me to be the best possible version of myself – something that I strive to bring you to do on All Gussied Up.

One theme that comes up during my meditation practice using Headspace (seriously recommend this app – it is FREE!) is gratitude.

Gratitude is so simple, yet it’s something that I hadn’t taken the time to practice, and I don’t think it’s something that many people DO. Gratitude is about feeling fulfilled. It’s taking the time to look what you have and appreciate it.

Here are some questions to ask yourself to bring out those gratitudes:

♡ Are there challenges that I can be grateful for; that allowed me to learn?

♡ Who do I appreciate and why?

♡ What material possessions am I grateful for?

♡ What opportunities are available to me?

♡ What knowledge have I gained that I can be grateful for?

TIP: Make a practice of writing at least 3 answers down every morning or every night. Journaling brings about so many insights and makes you instantly FEEL GOOD, on top of jogging your mind to be grateful.

Here are today’s three:

  1. Yoga. Yoga has changed my life for the better because it allows me to be still and practice patience. It provides an incredible mind-body connection that is invaluable.
  2. All Gussied Up. This platform has allowed me to connect with so many women that I would have never met otherwise.
  3. My Hoka One One Bondi 6 shoes. I know, I know…a material possession. But I am truly grateful for these shoes because I have developed plantar fasciitis, and these are the ONLY shoes that support my feet when I run without having discomfort.

Each day, you’ll write three more and you’ll have quite the collection in your journal. Looking back at everything after even a few days just makes you automatically feel so happy. Speaking of happiness: it is a skill. And you must practice.

Once you start practicing, amazing and magical things start to happen.

…I’m actually going to go out on a limb here & say gratitude can change your day…LIFE. That’s right. Shift your perspective & magical things start to happen.

The following research on gratitude is going to blow your mind…

“Two psychologists, Dr. Robert A. Emmons of the University of California, Davis, and Dr. Michael E. McCullough of the University of Miami, have done much of the research on gratitude. In one study, they asked all participants to write a few sentences each week, focusing on particular topics.

One group wrote about things they were grateful for that had occurred during the week. A second group wrote about daily irritations or things that had displeased them, and the third wrote about events that had affected them (with no emphasis on them being positive or negative). After 10 weeks, those who wrote about gratitude were more optimistic and felt better about their lives. Surprisingly, they also exercised more and had fewer visits to physicians than those who focused on sources of aggravation.” {SOURCE}

What are you grateful for today?

XO, Lynn