There’s the famous saying ‘for every cloud there’s a silver lining’ and we’ve been thinking about it a lot at Lenguaventura during the pandemic. Although the past year has been very difficult for most, there have been some valuable life lessons earned too. This has been learning to appreciate the little things, having gratitude and making every encounter an experience.
Lockdown for most has meant learning to enjoy a slower pace of life. We have been thrown out of our usually daily routines, such as travelling to school or work, going out with friends at the weekend and meeting in people’s houses. At first this may have been very difficult due to missing those who are close to us, feeling bored and unhappy and feeling anxious over an uncertain future. But as the pandemic has gone on, slowly but surely we’ve adapted to our new way of life and started to find pleasure in the little things.
It’s made us appreciate the people in our lives and feel grateful for the love and support of those around us. It’s made us slow down and the time to appreciate the little things and it’s made us realise the importance of the outdoors and value our freedoms. It’s likely that this experience will be the first and last time any of us will experience it, so it’s good to find positivity and value in what the experience has given us.
Here are some top tips to practice gratitude everyday…
Keep a gratitude journal
Each evening, just before you go to sleep, write down three things you have been grateful for that day. It could be as small as having your favourite sandwich for lunch or receiving a nice message from a friend. By focusing on the little things we are grateful for, it helps us to keep a more positive mindset in times of strife.
Be present
It’s easy to sometimes be distracted. With technology all around us which plays a big part of our lives it’s hard not to be! But in order to savour life’s experiences, try to remain present. For example, next time you’re on the phone to your friend, just be present in the conversation. Don’t scroll through Instagram or TikTok during the call or have the TV on in the background. Just focus on the conversation you are having. It’ll make you a better conversationalist (which is a great life skill), you’ll be more interested, and interesting in return, and you’ll realise you’ve learned some great facts about the other person along the way.
Being present is an essential life skill to promote happiness so practicing from a young age is very rewarding. You’ll learn to have awareness in every situation and notice the little pieces of beauty in everyday life. Be sure to give it a try!
A great way to practice being present is by getting creative in nature, so read our blog post for some creative inspiration here.
Celebrate the little things
Celebrations are one of life’s greatest joys so why do we save them purely for ‘special occasions’? We should practice celebrating the little things and in doing so rewarding ourselves with joy as much as we can. After all these are the things we will remember for a long time to come. Try celebrating to appreciate the little things during your week. Here are some ideas…
- Celebrate the nice weather with a walk in the park with a friend.
- Celebrate finishing some school work with 15 minutes of dancing to your favourite songs.
- Celebrate a good test result with your favourite snack.
Give more
Learning to have gratitude isn’t just for oneself. Your behaviour can have a huge impact on other so make sure it’s a positive one. Try giving more this week to enable those close to you to have gratitude. It doesn’t have to cost you anything but the little gestures go a long way. Here’s a few things you could try to be more giving…
- Make your parents a cup of tea or coffee while they are working from home. It’ll be sure to put a smile on their face.
- Offer to take younger siblings to the park to give your parents some time to themselves. Your brother or sister will love spending time with their older sibling and your parents will be truly grateful for the help.
- Offer advice or help to a friend struggling with homework. The sooner both of your homework is completed, the quicker you can hang out. Win, win!
Let us know what you’ve been grateful for this week.
