I’ve written about gratitude on this blog more than I have my love for Snufkin or my hate for Murphy’s Law – Here, here, here, here, here, here, oh and also here.
Reason is that when you’re grateful, it’s impossible to feel hard done by.
Gratitude crowds out all negativity. It’s impossible to feel shitty, pissed off, depressed, stupid, hapless, hard done by, depressed, frumpy, fugly, GD-ugly or even GD butt fugly while consciously being grateful for what you actually have. Because no matter what, there’s always, always, ALL-FREAKING-WAYS someone who’s got it shittier than you.
The Exercise
Here’s a quick and easy way to feel grateful first thing in the morning, all in the comfort of your own bathroom:
Step 1: Get in the shower.
Step 2: Turn the cold on full blast.
Step 3: Stand under the blistering cold water for one minute
Step 4: Think of happy times from yesteryear and days of yore
Step 5: Turn on the hot tap. How good does that feel? Warm water and comfort – something a shit tonne of people around the world don’t have.
Step 6: Boom. Gratitude. You’re welcome.¹
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¹ I take cold showers every morning, so an alternative Step 5 can also be: ‘Turn cold water off and grab a towel’. Same effect. Bang. Gratitude.