We all start our day in our own way. Some of us it is by drinking a cup of coffee. Some of us check our emails. Some motivated souls even start the day with a little physical fitness. How we start our day goes a long way in determining how our day will go. If, for example, our first thing we do is to pick up our phone and see what social media or the world at large is up to, we leave ourself open to negative influences. Unless that day the world and social media consists of entirely positive news. Perhaps you can see the likelihood of that happening.
What if there was a guaranteed way to start the day with a smile that would not only increase our chances of keeping that smile on our face the whole day long, but increase the bond in many of our relationships too? It is one simple action that can have a powerful influence on both. If you read the photo at the start of this post, you have an idea of what I am talking about. It is the simple act of starting our day expressing gratitude for the amazing people in our life. How do you think your day would start if you picked up the phone, called a friend and said, “I am just calling to tell you how awesome I think you are and how grateful I am to have you in my life. I hope you have a great day.” Do you think that would make it more likely you would have a great day not to mention the friend who received that phone call? Not to mention the strengthening of the bond between the both of you.
Maybe calling people is not your thing. Maybe you start work at 4am like I do. In which case, even a friendly phone call might not be appreciated. We are lucky that we live in a time where there are so many other options. We could send a quick text for them to read to start their day. Opening your phone to a text letting you know how grateful your friend is to have you in their life would be great way to start the day. If you start your day on social media, how much better would it be to pick a random person and leave a comment on their page letting them know how amazing they are and how grateful you are for them? It would be a great start to the day for both of them. How about doing this for a coworker when you get to work? The great thing about all of these examples is that they can become contagious. When you can start a group of people doing this, imagine the possibilities? All of you starting your day expressing gratitude for each other?
Even if you are a rather shy person, this can still work. Picking one of your friends and looking at a picture of them, or even just picturing them in your head. Then list off some of the things that make them the great person you are. Let them know how grateful you are for them. If you do it this way, you might miss the opportunity to brighten someone else’s day, but you still receive the benefits of gratitude. These include, but are not limited to, reduced stress, increased immune function and an overall sense of well-being.
Start your next morning with a dose of gratitude. It will brighten the days of those you care about and make sure you have a much happier day as well.
