Stick with me while I tell you a story, at the end there's an important point, but to get the point you need the story, so read on dear Peptalker, read on...

 

** DON'T MISS THE CALL TO ACTION AT THE BOTTOM **

 

9am, Friday 8 September 2023. Taimate Road, Ward, Marlborough, NZ.

 

This morning I headed out to take the dogs for a walk. As I walked down the driveway I was thinking about all of the things I needed to get done and how I really didn't have time for this walk, but my husband's away and the dogs need a run, so off I go, let's get this done.

I turned out onto Taimate Road and an incredible thing happened. Out of nowhere, the most indescribable feeling of gratitude, awe, and appreciation welled up inside of me. This road that I've been on thousands of times over the 18 years I've lived here suddenly made me feel like I was the luckiest person on earth. That I get to live here, in this place, surrounded by this peace, and this beauty.

 

This feeling felt random, it was just a spontaneous thing that happened. I didn't consciously conjure it up. In fact, just prior, my thoughts had been on everything but feeling grateful, namely my busy day. I turned the corner and bam! There it was, full blown gratitude. I can only describe it as the most overwhelmingly beautiful and surreal feeling. It felt like so much joy I would burst, almost like too much to handle. 

 

As I walked along contemplating the mystery of where this wonderful feeling had come from, it hit me.

 

It wasn't random at all.

 

I may not have purposefully cultivated that feeling at the moment. But I had primed myself for it, or tuned myself to it, in all of the weeks and months leading up to it, that I had consciously (and at times forcefully) done my gratitude practice.

 

By my gratitude practice I mean - writing in my gratitude journal, purposefully looking at and acknowledging the beauty when I'm driving in the car, saying thank you to myself as many times a day as I can remember in moments when something small but good happens, (simple things like a friendly checkout person at the supermarket, bumping into an uplifting friend, or getting a carpark), or just for the simple pleasures I have in my life like electricity, running water, a warm home, healthy body, food in the fridge, and good people I love and who love me.

 

This daily practice takes effort. Often times it would be so much easier to let that stuff go unrecognised, especially when I'm not in the mood.

 

I definitely have room for improvement. I estimate that most days I still spend 70-80% of my time missing all of that stuff. Not feeling lucky or blessed, but instead feeling like life is problematic and lost in thought about stuff that's bothering me. 

 

So here's the point I'm trying to make -  

 

Happiness doesn't happen by accident. You don't magically become the type of person who often feels grateful and who notices the good in life. 

 

And you definitely don't mysteriously get hit by moments of mind-blowing awe and appreciation.

 

Gratitude is only one of the many practices you can use to conquer your mind. 

 

You've got to put in the miles to train your mind, in the same way you would expect to if you were training your body. 

 

Physical fitness happens by doing the reps, doing the mahi.

So does mental fitness.

 

Maybe you think you shouldn't need to work on being happy.
But the fact is, you do! We all do.

 

I promise you, you will get a return on your investment.
The more you put in, the more you get out.

 

Suddenly you'll be going about your day and you'll notice there's a spring in your step, more love in your heart, and things that used to bother you don't bother you so much.

 

How often do you read these weekly Peptalks, or something inspiring you come across on social media, and get a momentary lift, or even an aha moment? But then, back you go to your day, to the same old thoughts and reactions to life.

 

It's time to start turning your aha's into action!

 

Don't wait, start priming yourself for gratitude today. 

 

CALL TO ACTION : Print the worksheet below and see how many good things you can find this week.

Nadine 🤸‍♀️