Practice Gratitude to Unlock the Fullness of Life

Being grateful makes us feel happier. It really is that simple! Find ways to focus on the everyday things that fill you with joy, and you can turn what you already have into everything you could possibly want. No need to wait until Thanksgiving Day: Start unlocking the fullness of life right now with these practical tips from Sola stylists. 

Write it down.

You take plenty of time for personal hygiene, right? But do you give yourself permission to keep your emotional life squeaky clean, too? Find 5 minutes daily to jot down a few things you love. We recommend doing it the old fashioned way: Ditch the device, grab a pen and paper, and record objects, moments, events, and people that make your life better. In addition to reinforcing positive thoughts, journaling also helps us achieve personal goals — big bonus.

Live moment to moment.

Your wrist is cramping, you’ve literally been on your feet all day, and you’re so tired you could — wait. Instead of going through the motions so you’ll make it through the day, try to really relish the experience you’re having, even if it isn’t 100 percent perfect. When we live in the moment – any moment – we’re way less likely to take our bountiful blessings for granted.

Decorate your studio with subtle reminders.

We’re human, and sometimes we forget to practice gratitude. Give your memory a break, and incorporate a few visual cues into your studio décor. From a decorative pillow with an inspirational quote to a treasured family heirloom, anything that’s meaningful to you will do the trick. You could even build your own gratitude board with images that remind you what you feel thankful for.

Surround yourself with people you love.

It’s easy to count your blessings when they’re standing right in front of your face! “Due to the demand of business,” Sola stylist Kenya Rynea says she misses “a lot of family events throughout the year.” But a few days before Christmas, she’s made a tradition of having a cookie and game night with her relatives and a few of the children she mentors. “I look forward to the celebration every year,” admits Kenya.

Ditch social media.

Not forever — just for a few minutes! For Sola stylist Brandie Kekoa, social media has made it much easier to stay connected with loved ones throughout the year. But, she says, “If you usually connect with family and friends on social media, choose a few special people and make some time to call them. Those people will be very grateful to connect with you in person.”

Get your flow on.

After you’ve clocked out, swing by your local yoga studio for an hour-long flow. In addition to toning your bod, you’ll also have plenty of time to reflect on the people and things that make you grateful. Extra credit points if you go to a studio that encourages instructors to lead dharma talks and/or meditation sessions during class.

Speak up.

Grateful people have developed habits to help maintain their feelings of gratitude — and one of those habits is tied to linguistics. You can focus on all of the good things around you just by talking about them. So go ahead and try using more positive words in your daily speech patterns. Here are a few to get you started: Blessed, content, lucky, fortunate, glad, abundance, plenty, and – of course – thank you.

Pay it forward.

Direct service to others definitely gets that good juju going. “Making small gestures, such as sponsoring a meal for a needy family during the holidays, helps the community,” says Brandie. Nail tech Kim Schine offers gift certificates to women’s organizations that are helping to get women back in the workforce. Stylist Sue Scott shows her gratitude by donating non-perishable goods to shelters and families in need, and this year Kim Bennett Horvath is selling raffle tickets in her salon for $5 dollars; proceeds go to the PBA Disaster Relief Fund, and the winner gets a gift basket overflowing with products. There are so many awesome ways to give back this time of year!