Gratitude: What is it, and how to practice it.

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, everyone is thinking about more ways to be grateful. But is being thankful and showing gratitude one time a year enough for us? 
 
Giving thanks and being kind are things we can practice all year round. Here are a few ways you can bring this practice alive in your own life and keep it going into the new year. 
 
What is Gratitude?
 
Gratitude is the act of being thankful or showing appreciation. We can be grateful in many ways. Showing gratitude doesn't mean big over-the-top grand gestures like large gifts and showiness. In fact, at Sha-Faun Enterprises, we would argue that those little acts of kindness and being thankful are much more potent in your life and the lives of others. 
 
Because small gestures are much easier to stick with and get into the habit of, we will focus on small ways you can show and give more gratitude in your life, starting today. 
 
Sha-Faun's Thankfulness Habits: 
 
Remember your manners: 
 
Being thankful isn't always easy. When you're running late, and the coffee drive-through is long, it can be hard to remember that others around us could be having similar experiences. So, the next time you pull through the drive-up window for your late afternoon tea or latte pick-me-up, remember to thank the person who hands you your beverage. 
 
As adults, we can sometimes forget to practice using our manners. "Please" and "thank-you" can go a long way to show people around us that we appreciate them, even if it's just for handing you a coffee through a window. 
 
*For those days when the coffee lines are long, and all the traffic lights are red, you can use your car diffuser to bring some peace and calm to your commute with Young Living essential oils. * 
 
Write it down: 
 
Grab a notebook. Any notebook you have laying around. Open it up to the first page and put today's date at the top. Now put down three bullet points. Write down three things you are thankful for right now. These don't have to be significant items. It could look something like this: 
 

• Slept well
• Nice weather
• Kids didn't fight this morning. 

Keep this notebook in your workspace or where you take your morning breakfast. Starting your date by jotting down a few things you are grateful for will help frame your mindset for the entire day. And it's ok if you forget a day or two. Just try to create a new habit. A gratitude journal doesn't have to be pages and pages. Jot down a few things that made you feel good today and move on. 
 
*At Sha Faun, we like to take a few moments every once in a while, and look back at all the things that we've been grateful for in the past. * 
 
Be Kind:
 
One of the most remarkable ways you can show and give more gratitude is by spreading kindness. Lending a helping hand, holding the door for someone, or spreading a smile around the room are small ways to show your thankfulness. 
 
That includes being kind to yourself. You can't spread kindness if you're not first kind to yourself. Something as simple as diffusing your favorite calming blends in the morning or dabbing an oil roller on your wrist on your way out the door can help you focus on yourself a little more often. 
 
 
For more ways to spread joy and kindness with essential oils, start your Young Living essential oil journey today!