From ‘Have to' to ‘Get to’

What are you grateful for today?

The benefits of gratitude are obvious. In addition to finding more meaning and purpose in our lives, practising gratitude has been shown to have numerous mental and physical health benefits. Gratitude can improve our mood, reduce stress, and enhance our relationships. By appreciating the good in our lives, we can feel more content and less focused on the negative.

However, in our busy lives, it can be easy to forget the importance of gratitude.

I practice gratitude daily by starting my day by noting one thing I am appreciative of in my journal. However, over the course of the day, as life gets busy and takes its toll on me, it can be challenging to maintain that gratitude from the morning.

That was until I was sent this simple re-framing exercise: ‘Begin your day with an ‘I get to’ instead of an ‘I have to’ mentality.

A re-framing exercise

In moments where my to-do list feels overwhelming, or I feel like I’m running out of time, or I’m simply feeling negative about a task I need to complete, I pause and reframe. Here are some examples:

• ‘I have too many things to juggle this week’ becomes ‘I get to test and push myself through juggling multiple tasks.’

• ‘I have to get to the gym before dinner’ becomes ‘I get to go to the gym and improve my body and mind.’

• ‘I have to find some time to write a Plane Thoughts’ becomes ‘I get to share thoughts and insights with an audience that gains value from what I produce each week.’

Instead of feeling burdened by our responsibilities, we can appreciate the opportunities they provide.

Implementation idea

Incorporate gratitude into your days this week. Start your day with a gratitude journal, and use the re-framing exercise throughout the day when you need a boost.

Let's take a moment to appreciate the good in our lives and express gratitude to those around us.

I wrote this post on a flight back from speaking at a work event in Egypt and am appreciative of the fact I get to travel extensively and interact with clients across the world. Hit reply and let me know what you’re feeling grateful for today.

Best, Alex Joshi.

On my bedside table:

I'm on a stag do in Las Vegas this week so the only things on my bedside table are bottles of Fiji water; podcast and book recommendations to resume next sunday!

Comments, questions, disagreements? Hit reply to reach out to me directly.

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