A Bedtime Gratitude Challenge

A daily gratitude practice is scientifically proven to help improve your physical and emotional health.

The challenge is this: Every night when your head hits the pillow, think of one thing that you’re grateful for that day. Seems simple? The real challenge is to try to think of something different every night.

Perhaps you already practice some version of gratitude. Maybe you’re grateful for broad things like food on the table, clothes on your back, people in your life. If you choose to adopt this daily challenge, be specific.

Examples can be:

“Today I am grateful for brunch with my friend Jackie. She really allows me the space to be myself and say things out loud that others may not understand.”

Or

“Today I am grateful for the breaks in my day when I stepped outside and felt the cool air on my cheeks.”

This practice can be done vocally as part of a nighttime ritual. It can be pensive, where you close your eyes and recite your gratitude in your mind. It can even be a written daily practice in a special journal. The point is to reflect and appreciate.

If nighttime isn't your best time to reflect, try a different time of day. It doesn’t have to take up a lot of time, but by all means make it intentional and practice it consistently.

Practicing gratitude on a regular basis can promote better sleep, higher self-esteem, and boost up attitude. It can strengthen relationships, relieve stress, and can actually have lasting effects in your brain. Simply speaking- it can rewire how you think and feel in a positive way. Why not give it a try?