Inside: 4 Weeks of Gratitude for Motherhood Mindfulness Challenge 2020. Each week is a different theme to reflect on the things in our lives to be grateful for. Taking a moment to be intentional about appreciating what we have and avoiding the “grass is greener” mindset that social media can inflict on us.
4 Weeks of Gratitude – Motherhood Challenge for 2020
I have decided to focus on “Gratitude” for part of the Motherhood Mindfulness Challenge.
Gratitude promotes optimist and helps us develop a more positive outlook on life.
So, for the next 4 weeks there will be a theme for you to follow along with and reflect on the things you are grateful for in life.
With how 2020 has started I feel everyone could use some optimism to re-focus out life lens and be grateful for what we have in OUR lives directly around us.
Before I get into the specific’s, I’ll just go over what the Motherhood Mindfulness Challenge of 2020 is for anyone new.
What is the Motherhood Mindfulness Challenge?
This year I want to work on improving my positivity and my mindfulness in motherhood. Lately I have been feeling the overwhelm of losing “myself” in motherhood and want to work on being the positive, optimistic person I was before children.
If anyone else feels this way I invite you to join me on my Motherhood Mindfulness Challenge of 2020. Each month I will have a different focus for the series and work through a mini-challenge for that month.
I will also try and incorporate a way you can do this challenge with your children so they can work on building the foundation of a positive mindset and reap the benefits of mindfulness.
You can make it a Family Mindfulness Challenge if you’d like, kids can easily do this as well!
Week 1: “Three Good Things”
This week we’ll start with a classic gratitude journal.
You are going to focus on the things in your daily life that you are grateful for.
What You Will Need
For this gratitude challenge you will be writing in a journal. Any journal will work.
If you have an an old notebook that has been forgotten about and not used for ages, pull it out and give it purpose!
All you need is a notebook and pen.
Decide on a time you plan to journal. Make it the same for each day.
Are you a morning person and want to journal for 3 – 5 minutes with your morning coffee?
Or are you a evening person and will have some quiet time to reflect at the end of the day?
Once you decide when you are going to journal I want you to put a reminder on your phone to go off every day to remind you to go grab your journal and have 5 minutes of mindfulness.
Pretty simple, that’s all you need for this month.
A journal, A pen, and Time.
What To Write in Gratitude Journal
Each day you will write down 3 things that you are grateful for and truly appreciate having been present in your life that day.
Maybe it’s grandma for watching the kids for an hour so you could do your errands.
Or your favorite dress you wore today which makes you feel really pretty and confident when you wear it.
Doesn’t matter what three things.
Reflect on what really had an impact on your life for that day, big or small, and write it down.
If you need more inspiration you could try using 3 themes to write about each day.
– A person you were grateful for that day
– Some “thing” you were grateful for being able to use/eat/drink
– Something in nature that you were grateful for being in your life that day
You decide what “3 Things” you are most grateful for each day this week, and write them down.
At the end of the week reflect on all the things you have written down.
Have gratitude to the life that you have around you, and all those that contribute to it.
Week 2: I’m Grateful for Being “Me”
It can be easy to look at the outside world and see all the great things. Though, when it comes to ourselves it can be easier to look at our faults versus our contributions.
This week you will look at yourself, and look at the gifts you possess within yourself.
Self-care is a important in today’s world where it can be so easy to compare to the “Insta-perfection” of others.
Each day you will find something you are grateful for within yourself. Maybe it was your patience dealing with an elongated wait while doing errands. Maybe appreciating your pizzazz to make your kids laugh when they’ve had a tough day.
Write it down in your journal at your dedicated journal time.
This may seem like the most difficult of all the weeks, but I challenge you to really take your time and reflect on what you contribute to your family. You are important!
Week 3: A Note of Appreciation
Do you have any stationary that stay’s hidden at the bottom of your desk drawer? Maybe a really nice notepad you are always saving for “special notes”? This is the week you are going to use them!
It doesn’t take much to make someone’s day special. Doing a random act of kindness to make them smile and demonstrate they are appreciated can be remembered for a long time.
This week you are going to do just that. Each day you are going to write a note of appreciation to someone in your day-to-day life. It could be a co-worker, your mailman, grandparent, spouse, teacher, good friend, or anyone else that you might come in contact with often.
Tell them exactly what it is that you are grateful for, whether it’s big or small, it doesn’t matter. Explain what it is that they did or said that warmed your heart. Then slip in in an envelope and either give it to them in person, or leave it where they will find it that day.
[ During social distancing – Send them a handwritten letter or a well written social media private message.]
Week 4: A Picture is Worth 1000 Thanks
Now for a bit of fun! This week you will take pictures of the things you are grateful for.
Every day take one picture of something or someone that you are grateful for. It could be something as simple as a picture of a delicious snack you had. Or a household item that saved you some time and money. Maybe it’s the flower in your garden that finally popped up and is making you smile each day.
Utilize social media this week and spread the gratitude, caption your photo with “Today I am grateful for… ”.
It will be fun to look at the pictures at the end of the week to see what little things made your life that much more lovely on that particular day.
Sharing is Caring!
This is a good way to regroup with everything going on. I think it’s time to be mindful and remember what we can do and be grateful for time together.