Hello,

 

We hope that you are enjoying January so far but we know that, especially in the northern hemisphere, the combination of cold, wet weather and dark days can sap the energy and enthusiasm of us all. So, today we’d like to share a simple activity that can help get your morning off to a good start and set the tone for a more enjoyable day.

Just three things

Simply bring to mind three things that you feel grateful for and three things that you are looking forward to. They can be big or small, from people who are important to you to the fact that the sun is shining and you can have a coffee outdoors.

Scientists have found that practising gratitude and postive anticipation brings us into the present moment and can help us sleep better and be less aware of aches and pains. It can also increase optimism, happiness, joy and pleasure; this is partly because it’s difficult to experience gratitude and negative emotions at the same time. Gratitude often leads to people feeling more compassionate, generous and helpful, and so a virtuous circle starts to form, even improving feelings of loneliness and isolation.

If you prefer, this is also a good activity for last thing at night, to help you wind down before going to sleep. You might like to write your thoughts in a journal to look back on during the year. Choose whichever option works best for you – we’d love to hear what you think in the comments below.

Until next time, stay safe and well,

Claire and Sam

P.S. You can read more about the science of gratitude here.