Mindfulness Daily Check-in August 27, 2017
Hey, everyone! I hope you all are enjoying your weekends. Let's check-in about gratitude and how we can bring gratitude into our mindfulness practices.
So, what is gratitude? Google defines gratitude as "the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness." We've all expressed gratitude at some point in our lives. And, like mindfulness, gratitude is available to us at anytime, anywhere.
How can bring gratitude into our mindfulness practice? We can appreciate what we have right now rather than dwelling on what we want or don't have.
For example, when we focus on our breath, we can be grateful that we can breathe, that we are alive to experience today, and that we possess the ability to be aware of what's happening around us through our senses. When we are mindful of our bodies, we can be grateful that our bodies allow us to experience the present moment, whether it's our eyes to see, fingers to touch, feet to walk, ears to hear, or nose to smell--the possibilities are endless. When we are being mindful of nature, we can be grateful for its beauty and complexity. When we are engaged in conversation with a friend, we can be grateful that our friend is in our lives.
There are a couple of gratitude exercises that we can consider trying if we find it hard to summon feelings of gratitude while being mindful:
Journaling: We can express gratitude while mindfully writing. We can write down some things we are grateful for (as many or as little as we like).
Prompts: If writing isnt our thing, we can take time to express gratitude by answering some gratitude prompts out loud or to ourselves: "I'm grateful for ----- that I see." "I'm grateful for ----- that I hear." "I'm grateful for ----- who I can talk to." "I'm grateful for ----- that I can touch." "I'm grateful for ----- in my home."
Gratitude object: If we have a special object that we carry around with us, it can become a gratitude remembrance object that reminds us of what we are grateful for; its preferably small enough to fit in our pockets or maybe it's something that we wear, like a necklace or bracelet.
If we are new to the practice of mindfulness and expressing gratitude, it's okay! Mindfulness and expressing gratitude can be challenging, but through practice, mindfulness and expressing gratitude can become automatic reactions. Just keep going.
Discussion Questions:
1.) What is one thing that you are grateful for today?
2.) Have you tried any of these gratitude exercises, or do you plan to try them?
3.) Do you have your own tips to share on how to cultivate feelings of gratitude in the present moment?
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@EmunahHere
1) First of all, I am grateful for being Alive and being able to help and support those who are going through rough time.
2) I haven't tried the excercises yet. But i will soon.
3) We can all be grateful, by finding positivity in everything and being content with what we have or what we have achieved.
Grateful to you all :)
Hey, @Kevan ! Thank you for checking-in 
I agree; being able to support people is a great thing to be grateful for! And, I am grateful that you are here and able to do that
1.) What is one thing that you are grateful for today? I'm grateful for life
2.) Have you tried any of these gratitude exercises, or do you plan to try them? I haven't but I'm working on it.
3.) Do you have your own tips to share on how to cultivate feelings of gratitude in the present ? Hmm not really
Hey, @astray !
Thank you for checking-in today
Yes, the gift of life is defintely something to be grateful for. I am happy to see that you are working on trying the gratitude exercises mentioned above; I hope you find that they add meaning to and benefit your mindfulness practice!
@EmunahHere oh you're welcome i find daily check-ins therapeutic they're also my daily journal kind of 🙂
@EmunahHere
Hi Emunah great reminder on gratitude and how it is very healthy in our lives.
1.) What is one thing that you are grateful for today?
I am grateful for 7cups and what I do. But most important some people here really believing in me and trusting me. That really helps me to show I am worth it as well as some help with self esteem.
2.) Have you tried any of these gratitude exercises, or do you plan to try them?
Yes I write things down alot and put them around my house or some reminders on my phone
3.) Do you have your own tips to share on how to cultivate feelings of gratitude in the present moment?
hmm. Well with dealing on trauma and mental health issues I tend to be wrapped up in my own feelings and thoughts. So with graditude on any level is a very good thing to kinda "ground" and not get to lost in my head. Remembering there is still good even with the worst trauma or mental health issues
Hey, @RumpleSteeleSkin !
Thank you for checking-in
I, too, am grateful for 7 Cups and all that you do here I am happy that you realize your worth!
That's great that you place gratitude reminders around your house and put them on your phone! I haven't thought about doing the phone thing, so I might try that, especially since I am on it quite a bit.
So true, Rumple, in remembering that we can still express gratitude despite experiencing trauma and mental health issues That is great encouragement, and I am glad that you can do that for yourself
1. first and most important - gratefull to be alive
2. i use a journal, not every night, but often and re-read it from the beginning from time to time
3. sit somewhere outside and smell the fresh air (if possible) or watch the plants - filling the body with natural energy
Hey, @amiablePeace77 Thanks for checking-in!
That's great that you like to journal! I hope that journaling about gratitude is beneficial for you.
Yes, smelling and inhaling fresh air is a great way to cultivate feelings of gratitude! It's also very calming, and it can help us be mindful by prompting us to focus on our breath.
@EmunahHere
1.) What is one thing that you are grateful for today? I'm alive and healthy today.
2.) Have you tried any of these gratitude exercises, or do you plan to try them? I haven't and plan to.
3.) Do you have your own tips to share on how to cultivate feelings of gratitude in the present moment? Not yet.
Hey, @adaptiveLight27 thank you for checking-in today!
I am happy that you are healthy! That is definitely something to be grateful for, so I am happy to hear that.
I hope that when you try the gratitude exercises, you will find them helpful!
@EmunahHere
1.) What is one thing that you are grateful for today? right now, the assorted fruits i am able to eat, like apples, oranges and melons. yumm..
2.) Have you tried any of these gratitude exercises, or do you plan to try them? yep, journaling and writing prompts, have done them for quite some time now and i enjoy doing them too
3.) Do you have your own tips to share on how to cultivate feelings of gratitude in the present moment? no good thing is too small to be not appreciated in every moment and person, no matter how negative it seems, try look for one good thing you can be thankful for.
Hey, @PurpleSnowflake2310 !Thank you for checking-in!
Mmmm. Yes, fruits and other things that nourish our bodies are great things to be thankful for. That's awesome!
I'm happy that journaling and prompts help you express gratitude in your life :)
So true. We can be thankful for even the smallest of things around us. There is always something to be thankful for :) thank you for reminding me and all of us!
i been doing ok and been very mindful
unknown, sometimes just doing ok is the highest to achieve, not wanting more, just being ok
@LeoTheLlitteLionCub1 Thank you for checking-in! :)
I am glad that you've been doing well and have been practicing mindfulness :)
1.) What is one thing that you are grateful for today? I am super grateful for the area that I live in. It's super beautiful and conveniently located. It even has it's own lake that I can walk around. I am moving next month so I am going to miss all these dearly. It's a shame that it took nearly 9 years of living here to fully appreciate it. But better late than never!
2.) Have you tried any of these gratitude exercises, or do you plan to try them? I practice journaling quite frequently. It's not a daily thing for me. Sometimes, I just don't have anything to write about/I don't want to write anything down; however, it's an important outlet for me.
3.) Do you have your own tips to share on how to cultivate feelings of gratitude in the present moment? It's so easy to be anxious about the future and what's next to come. I find myself doing that a lot and it takes a lot of mindwork to get myself back in the moment. The easiest way for me to bring myself back to present moment is to simply ask myself: What are you doing now? And list everything that I am doing. I always find things to be grateful doing this. For example, I am making this post right now on my computer and I am grateful that I have access to a fast Internet, a new laptop, and have a home that I can sit and type this out! There's a lot to be grateful for. We just sometimes need to stop and ask ourselves: What are you up to right now?
@tkqmflsk Also the gratitude community on 7cups has a gratitude daily check in that's also a good way to practice gratitude and mindfulness. :) I use it all the time when I don't want to journal!
@tkqmflsk thank you for checking-in :)
Wow, your surroundings do sound very beautiful! Hopefully wherever you move to, you will be able to find the beauty in your surroundings again. I have faith that you will :)
That is cool that you journal! It really can be a great outlet and reflection tool, even if we don't do it every day. We can also journal mindfully, which is great practice!
You're right. It is easy to become anxious and dwell on the future, but it sounds like you've found some grounding techniques that work for you to bring you back into the present when you notice your mind wander; that's great that you found a technique that works, and even better, that you find things to be grateful for during the process :)
@EmunahHere - I'm here! Listened to a mindfulness recording while riding my bike this morning and am trying to remember to ground myself when I feel anxious and want to run away from my work obligations :D
@KrinkTheMellowUnicorn
Hey, Krink! Thank you for checking in :)
A bike ride sounds awesome. I'm glad that you were able to practice mindfulness while doing that, and I hope that it was relaxing for you!
Grounding is very important when we are feeling anxious, so I am glad that you are practicing that. Work duties can put so much pressure and stress on us. Keep going; you're doing great :)
@EmunahHere - thanks for the support!