Five Ways to Show Yourself Gratitude

Because you deserve it

 It can be easy to forget to show yourself a bit of appreciation. With all of the things going on in your daily life, you may feel like you just don't have time to stop and reflect or just give yourself a proverbial pat on the back. With my busy school and work schedule, this is a dilemma I know all too well. So, today we're going to get into five quick, meaningful ways to show ourselves some gratitude.

1.  Write It Out

This one can be done in the morning before you start your day, or right before you crawl into bed.  I personally like to sit down with my journal before bedtime and write about whatever I accomplished or whatever made me feel proud of our good about myself that day. It doesn't have to be a whole essay about anything monumental- just jot down a few things that you want to tell yourself "good job" or "thank you" for. I find this one especially impactful when I've had a rough day and want to end it on a positive note by pointing out what went right and kind of giving myself a shoutout for handling what I needed to handle. You could even take it in a different direction and make a list of the things in your life you are thankful for. I like this option because you can really do whatever you want with it.

2. Take a Break

Whether it's ten minutes in between homework assignments or a whole day to yourself, take that break. I feel like this super necessary for those of us who are extremely busy or those of us who just live high stress lives. Whenever you have even the smallest moment of free time, take that time for yourself. Breathe, listen to music, just reply to that email later. Your mind will thank you. Your body will thank you.

3. Keep Track

This one is something new that I've been trying, so I figured it was worth sharing. I've been mentally keeping track of the meaningful compliments or expressions of appreciation that I receive, and kind of using that as reinforcement when it comes to showing appreciation to myself. In practice, it looks like little reminders like "So and So really appreciated the advice you gave them. You are such a thoughtful, caring person." I will admit that it can feel a little weird at first, but it is definitely a great method to try if you're someone who really focuses on acts of services and words of affirmation.

4. Just Say It 

Sometimes you just have to hype yourself up out loud, and that is perfectly ok. One of the simplest ways to show yourself some much needed gratitude is to just say it. Whether you're standing in front of the mirror shouting out the best parts of you or doing a little happy song and dance when you get something done, sometimes that verbal praise is the best way to show some self appreciation. This is one that I do pretty often- I'm the little happy song and dance type of person myself.

5. Little Notes

I used to write myself little words of affirmation and gratitude on sticky notes, but then I realized that was using a lot of paper so I reworked it a little bit. Now I have this white board hanging over my desk that I write notes for myself on, as well as one of those message boards that pretty much everyone has. Sometimes I even write notes on my mirror or in my planner so I can look at them throughout the day.  The key to this is to leave notes in places you know you'll see multiple times a day. It really helps, especially after a rough day.

Whether you decide to try one of these, or do something completely different (feel free to share any other ideas you have), don't hesitate to show yourself some love and appreciation for all that you are and all that you do!