We all know that feeling. You wake up grumpy, you rush through your morning routine, and before you know it, you're already feeling stressed about your to-do list for the day. If this sounds like you, don't worry—you're not alone.
But what if there were a way to start your day off on the right foot, so that instead of feeling stressed, you actually felt grateful and positive?
Well, there is! Keep reading to learn more about the power of gratitude and positivity, and how you can incorporate them into your daily routine.
The Science of Positivity
There's actually a lot of science to back up the benefits of starting your day with gratitude and affirmations. Studies have shown that gratitude can increase your overall well-being and make you more resilient in the face of stress. One study even found that participants who wrote down things they were grateful for on a weekly basis reported fewer physical symptoms of illness, felt better about their lives as a whole, and were more likely to exercise regularly!
But why does gratitude have such a powerful effect on our health? Experts believe it's because gratitude helps us see the good in our lives, even when things are tough.
When we focus on what we're thankful for, we're less likely to dwell on negative thoughts and emotions. Gratitude also helps us build strong social relationships—something that's essential for good mental health. So if you're looking for ways to improve your well-being, practicing gratitude is a great place to start!
How to Incorporate Gratitude Into Your Routine
One of the best ways to practice gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal. Every morning, take a few minutes to write down three things you're grateful for. It can be anything from your cozy bed to a beautiful sunrise—the important thing is that you take the time to really think about what's making you happy. Not only will this help you start your day on a positive note, but it will also give you something to look back on when you're feeling down.
Using Positive Affirmations
Another way to practice gratitude is by saying positive affirmations. Positive affirmations are short phrases or sentences that describe how you want to feel or what kind of person you want to be. For example, some people like to say “I am worthy of love and happiness” or “I am strong and capable.” Repeating these affirmations out loud can help train your brain to focus on positive thoughts instead of negative ones. So if you're looking for a way to boost your mood, try repeating some positive affirmations in the mirror each morning!
Each morning, you say your affirmations, aloud or silently, several times each. You can do this before you get out of bed or while going about your morning. You can say affirmations in the shower, while brushing your teeth, eating your breakfast, or on your morning commute.
Gradually, as you use the same affirmations over time, they will subtly change your self-talk -the constant flow of thoughts in your brain -and shift your worldview to be more in line with the affirmations. They quite literally reprogram your brain. When you have gotten all the benefits you can out of one set of affirmations, you can switch to another.
Benefits of Starting Your Day With a Positivity
These are the top five benefits you gain from a positive start to your day.
Better Mood
Starting your day with positivity increases your mood and helps you have a better day. Being positive brings you inner peace, lowers your stress levels, increases your optimism, and makes you feel good. All of these benefits combine to put you in a better mood.
Taking time out to inject positivity and gratitude into your day improves your mood at all times of the day but it is especially effective first thing in the morning.
Increased Health
Positive people are healthier than their peers. This is partly due to the lower stress levels experienced by those who practice positivity, but there is more to it than that and scientists are still working to understand it. Positive people are healthier on every level and tend to live longer as well!
Starting your day with gratitude and positive thinking sets the tone for your entire day and will lead you to be more positive throughout everything in life.
More Success
Being positive and grateful first thing in the morning helps clear your mind and allows you to focus more on your tasks for the day. This leads directly to having more success every day and over the long term. Positive people, as a whole, are much more successful than others. This is true in every aspect of life, from careers to relationships.
Happiness
Not only does starting your day with gratitude and positive thinking increase your mood, but it makes you happier. It boosts all of the “feel-good” hormones in the brain that make you happy. This isn’t a transitory effect, either; it lasts all day and over the long term increases your overall, permanent level of happiness.
Improved Relationships
When you start your day with positivity, you clear your brain and are in a much better space to relate to the people you care about most. This makes it easier to maintain healthy, caring relationships. This improvement starts almost immediately and lasts over the long run.
These are just a few of the benefits you can get from deliberately beginning each day with gratitude and positive thinking. You will experience many more if you make it a habit!
Embracing Gratitude and Positivity
Gratitude and positivity are two powerful tools that can help improve your overall well-being. If you're looking for ways to incorporate them into your life, try keeping a gratitude journal or repeating positive affirmations out loud each morning.
Remember: it's never too late to start living a more positive life!