Adopting a Gratitude Mindset | Route: Minimalism

Gratitude is found in your genuine appreciation of the little things.

Photo by Ava Sol

These days I value a minimal mindset above all else. This way of thinking allows me to live a more fulfilling, focused life by lessening the amount of distractions around me.

When you choose minimalism, it follows your thought process in every aspect of life (consumption, lifestyle, career), and it challenges you to question: Do I truly need these things? Am I happy with what I already have? 

By placing a magnifying glass on this life we lead, we are able to be more thoughtful about what truly matters to us. Our awareness gives power back to us in a world that is filled with choices and messages. We can take actions that support our true desires and move in the direction that our inner self wants. We get to clarify the way we picture our lives to be, and a clear mind will go in the right direction.

Minimalism is a form of appreciation for what we have. When we live minimally, we are surrounded by the things and the intentions that we most care about. In other words, we are thinking with gratitude on the daily because our interior and exterior world perfectly reflects what matters most to us. We made the conscious choice of exactly what we want to be surrounded by, and thus we get to enjoy everything that brings us joy without the clutter or the clouded thinking. 

Seeing in 20/20 is the theme of minimalism, as I like to think of it.

The takeaway of minimalism is a valuable lesson in life: The mindset you carry is impactful in every way because it colors your perception in life. Nothing holds more weight than your daily thoughts that determine how each day goes. If everyday is thought without gratitude for the present, it would be impossible to move forward, grow, and live a fulfilling, joyful life.

Although you can show gratitude without living a minimal lifestyle, you would probably miss out on the benefits of creating an inner and outer world that is clear and crisp.

Ways to Show Gratitude Daily

1. Keep a personal journal dedicated to writing 3 things that you are grateful for. You can bring it into your routine at the start or end of your day. Remember, you get to reflect on your day and discover things that you really appreciate. The benefit of taking time to think more deeply about what went on in a day is that you can slow down and give yourself the necessary space to process your life with greater thought. This activity lets you check in with yourself, and it feels like therapy for your well-being. I feel myself living more in the present when I recognize life's joys.
2. Pause for a second when you are faced with frustration or anger. The act of stopping and thinking, well what am I frustrated or mad about? how do I want to react?, allows you to reframe your thinking (aka your mindset) before you react naturally. In taking a breather and reflecting on the presented situation, you can view it from another angle, the one that is not clouded with emotion. You ask yourself: What matters most to me? Is a reaction necessary or can I let it pass by?
3. Be Present. The simplest way to be grateful for the life you have is to be aware of yourself in it. With everything that you do, be there fully. Your experience will be remembered in greater detail, so the moment becomes more than a minor done-and-forgotten piece of your day. Do something for yourself every day that makes you happy and be present in that moment. Consider why you are doing this, what the bigger picture purpose is, and what it means to you. There is a bigger picture purpose for even the smallest things, like brushing your teeth because you want to have healthy, strong teeth in old age. 

Final words:
There is inherent value in expressing gratitude and having a clear mindset. These actions give us the ability to be joyful for what we have and have greater clarity in our thoughts and actions. Thus we get to live more in our present. Presence is my theme for the year 2020.