Daily Gratitude Practices for a Happier, More Fulfilling Life.

Gratitude

We hear this word everywhere nowadays—podcasts, books, affirmations. But what is it really? In my tradition, it is thanking God for everything we hold today.

भगवान का शुक्र मानो जितना है और खुश रहो, तुम्हारे पास वो है जिसके लिए दूसरे प्रार्थना कर रहे हैं।

The privilege to choose when to work, to take a break, someone looking after you emotionally and financially, protecting you from this very harsh world. Peaceful sleep at night without crying to bed, a stomach full of food, family to look up to and love you, to celebrate your wins and hold you through your lows. Your loving partner’s smile and the shine in their eyes when they look at you. The freedom of choice in life and work. A hot shower every time you bathe, a new outfit for occasions, hugging your grandparents when you enter home, eating delicious home-cooked meals. Access to a clean and hygienic environment, access to education to build your dreams, access to the right opportunities.

Isn’t this God’s love? क्या ये भगवान की कृपा नहीं है?

If you have even 3-4 things from the list, you’ve already won at life. We all just need to feel heard, acknowledged, but even more so, feeling satisfied and at peace with everything that is there today. It takes a few seconds for everything to go away and a lifetime to build it. So, why not enjoy and celebrate what we have today?

You will be the youngest you have ever been today. Some moments with special people are so rare and never repeat—the same headspace, the same circumstance, health, love at that moment. It will never repeat itself. If there is one thing you can take away from this blog, it would be to learn to practice being in the present more, with all your senses, capturing those moments first in your memory, in your eyes, before you want to capture it on your phone.

We all have an easy escape at the palm of our hands, but maybe just look outside during that train journey, give a smile to that stranger on the tube, play with that little child on the bus. Tell your partner how adorable they looks today. There is kindness everywhere around the world. It’s a matter of choosing—do you choose to tap into the negative side or be the optimistic person in every situation, the glass-full type? Humans as a species want to connect; we thrive on making connections. Every moment may only happen once in your life, so maybe make it count?

A good place to start is in small practices which we can inculcate into our daily lives:

Maintaining a gratitude journal

If you are very busy, maybe just jot it down on your phone while drinking your morning coffee. In that moment, you will realize how beautiful your life is, and you will smile so wide. Just take that one moment out from your day, steal that moment for yourself, and then you will notice a bounce in your footsteps walking to work.

Replace “I have to” with “I get to”

This itself will change the narrative in your head when you acknowledge your gratitude with respect and take a moment to acknowledge that you are living one of your prayers today.

End the statement with “yet”

When you do get stuck somewhere and notice that maybe there is still something lacking in your life, just end that statement with “yet.” I don’t have it yet. But this represents that you are working on it, and it’s coming to you.

In today’s world, we discuss a lot about manifestation and how to manifest things in your life. Everyone has theories which worked for them or did not.

In my culture, we say – एक बार दिन में तुम्हारे जीभ पर सरस्वती माँ विराजमान होती हैं।

Loosely translated, it means once a day, the goddess Saraswati, who is the deity of knowledge, literature, and abundance, makes one thing come true which you speak through your mouth.

Now, if I must circle back to:

Start your day with gratitude—where you thank the universe/God, whoever you believe in, for what you have today. This will immediately set you in an amazing mood, and you will be vibrating on a higher frequency already.
When you are happy, content, and at peace with yourself and life, you speak good things to the universe—as now you are not surrounded by dark negative thoughts.
And now when you say good things, it might just manifest into reality.

अच्छा अच्छा बोला करो – कुछ सच हो जाएगा, जब सरस्वती माँ जीभ पर विराजमान होगी।

I believe it’s 50% manifestation, 40% your hard work, and 10% His blessings. I say it’s complete teamwork. I believe in magic, but magic won’t translate if there is no vessel for it to contain the magic. You become that vessel; you work hard and create that vessel, where now you give space for that magic to flow.

In this way, you may fall in love with the process rather than fixate on results. Because trust me, it always comes back—maybe not at the time you want, maybe not in the way you expected, maybe not through the person you wanted it to come back from. But it always comes back, and 10 times bigger than you could have imagined.

I read this excerpt from a book today where Gaurang Das mentioned, “Your practices that you follow with discipline every day keep you internally well-oriented to deal with whatever fate may throw at us.” It’s much like that quote, “Life is not about navigating how to escape the storm but learning to dance in it.” So, these are just some practices that may help you dance in the storm.

That’s all from me today. Keep smiling, it’s not that serious. You have figured it out before, you will be just fine even now. Love harder, accept love with big arms open in the air, and pray by bowing your head down. That’s my secret sauce. I hope you enjoy reading this blog.

Please do leave your thoughts in the comment section and share some of your daily practices that you do every day to ground yourself and have that little bounce in your feet. If no one has told you today, I love you, I believe in you, and I have faith in you.