06 Dec Holidays and Being Grateful: Be GLAD
The holidays are the perfect time to take stock of your life. Harvard Medical School wrote about Studies that have shown that thanking others and writing about gratitude improves your happiness and results are long-lasting. Challenge yourself this holiday season to use the approach in the GLAD Technique.
G.L.A.D. Technique
G – What is something for which you have gratitude today? Is it something we Americans often take for granted, such as clean water, a roof over our head, or clothes to wear? Or, could it be someone you appreciate today, a meaningful encounter you had? To be most effective, think about how this moment has made you feel today.
Today I am grateful for my spouse who got up early to take the garbage out during a snow day, so the kids and I could sleep in.
L – What you learned today. Was it something about yourself, something new that you learned from someone else? It can mean learning a new fact or a more efficient way of doing an ordinary task. When you open your mind to new information and experiences, you will be able to see the possibilities in a new day.
Today I learned that I feel energized when I work out in the morning. I will make a point to exercise first thing in the morning to increase my energy.
A – An accomplishment. This can be something small that you normally wouldn’t acknowledge as significant, but may have made a small difference in your mood or someone else’s day. For example:
- Waking up without hitting the snooze button the third time
- Eating a healthy meal instead of fast food
- Exercising for 10 minutes instead of skipping the workout because you didn’t have “enough time”
- Sleeping for 7 hours
- Reaching out to a friend you have been meaning to call or text.
- Cleared your desk
- Put away the dishes you usually leave until the next meal
D – One element of delight that touched you today. This could be anything that made you smile, encouraged you, or made you aware of your surroundings. Did you notice an element of nature? Maybe a new, clever ad on the highway or train? Did you hear a favorite song from childhood? Maybe you witnessed a child notice something new for the first time.
Today I was delighted when I watched a child making snow angels in their front lawn and loved seeing someone enjoy the freshly fallen snow I began to dread as I geared up to shovel.
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