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| Photo: @savvyphotage |
In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in the daily
grind and forget about the good things that we have in our lives.
However, cultivating gratitude is an important practice that can help us
appreciate what we have, increase our happiness, and improve our
overall well-being. Here are some simple ways to cultivate gratitude in
your daily life.
1. Keep a gratitude journal. One of the easiest ways to cultivate gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal. Every day, take a few minutes to write down three things that you're grateful for. They don't have to be big things; even the small things count! Over time, this practice can help you focus on the positive things in your life and increase your overall sense of gratitude.
2. Practice presence. Take a deep breath and notice the world around you. With busy lives, it's easy to race through our days without When you practice mindfulness, you become more aware of the good things in your life and can appreciate them more fully. Take a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness, whether it's through meditation or simply taking a walk and focusing on your surroundings.
3. Say thank you. Expressing gratitude to others is a simple yet powerful way to cultivate gratitude in your life. Take the time to thank the people in your life who have made a positive impact on you. Whether it's a friend who's always there for you or a coworker who went above and beyond, a simple "thank you" can go a long way in fostering gratitude.
4. Look for the positive. It's easy to get caught up in the negative aspects of life, but making an effort to look for the positive can help you cultivate gratitude. Try to find the silver lining in challenging situations, or focus on the good things that are happening in your life. By shifting your perspective to the positive, you can cultivate a greater sense of gratitude.
Cultivating gratitude is a simple yet powerful practice that can have a profound impact on your life. By keeping a gratitude journal, practicing mindfulness, saying thank you, and looking for the positive, you can increase your sense of gratitude and appreciation for the good things in your life. Give these practices a try and see how they can help you cultivate a greater sense of gratitude and well-being!
1. Keep a gratitude journal. One of the easiest ways to cultivate gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal. Every day, take a few minutes to write down three things that you're grateful for. They don't have to be big things; even the small things count! Over time, this practice can help you focus on the positive things in your life and increase your overall sense of gratitude.
2. Practice presence. Take a deep breath and notice the world around you. With busy lives, it's easy to race through our days without When you practice mindfulness, you become more aware of the good things in your life and can appreciate them more fully. Take a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness, whether it's through meditation or simply taking a walk and focusing on your surroundings.
3. Say thank you. Expressing gratitude to others is a simple yet powerful way to cultivate gratitude in your life. Take the time to thank the people in your life who have made a positive impact on you. Whether it's a friend who's always there for you or a coworker who went above and beyond, a simple "thank you" can go a long way in fostering gratitude.
4. Look for the positive. It's easy to get caught up in the negative aspects of life, but making an effort to look for the positive can help you cultivate gratitude. Try to find the silver lining in challenging situations, or focus on the good things that are happening in your life. By shifting your perspective to the positive, you can cultivate a greater sense of gratitude.
Cultivating gratitude is a simple yet powerful practice that can have a profound impact on your life. By keeping a gratitude journal, practicing mindfulness, saying thank you, and looking for the positive, you can increase your sense of gratitude and appreciation for the good things in your life. Give these practices a try and see how they can help you cultivate a greater sense of gratitude and well-being!
—Julie
Looking for more gratitude ideas? Check out our book, The One Year Daily Acts of Gratitude devotional, for more encouragement and tips.
While there is nothing wrong with entering the season of Advent as either a maximalist or a minimalist, the maximalist version of Advent is often considered the proper way to celebrate.
Fewer Must-Do’s
Over a decade ago, I found my exhausted self standing in a friend’s kitchen, my newborn in another’s arms, sliding pans of cookies in and out of the oven as six of us worked to make and exchange hundreds of cookies. I love my friends, and I love doing things in community, but cookie exchanges are not my thing. The year I gave myself permission to say a loving no to the cookie exchange was the start of my minimalist Advent adventure.
You can read the rest of the article here. |
Are you looking for more Christmas resources? Check out our NEW book Merry & Bright: Rediscover the Peace, Joy, and Hope of Advent, available wherever books are sold.
Be on the lookout in the next two weeks for more tips and encouragement for the Advent season.
That was the inspiration behind our newest devotional, One Good Word a Day: 365 Invitations to Encourage, Deepen, and Refine Your Faith, and we are beyond excited to partner with the YouVersion App and bring you get a sneak peek into the first 7 days with this free YouVersion devotional plan.
You can download it HERE.
Are you looking for more resources? Have you checked out our books?
Looking for encouragement in your friendships? Our adult friendship devotional, The One Year Daily Acts of Friendship, includes a daily scripture, story, and friendship prompt. It's encouraging and slightly challenging (in a good way!) in helping you find, keep, and love your friends.
Our devotional for tweens is a great complement to our devotional for women! 100 Daily Acts of Friendship for Girls is written specifically for girls ages 8-12 as they navigate friendships in upper elementary and middle school. With a scripture, short story, reflection questions and 50 fun activities to do with you or friends, it's a wonderful way to encourage your daughter, niece, granddaughter, God daughter and her friends to build healthy friendships from an early age.
We've also written two kindness devotionals, The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness and 100 Days of Kindness. They tell the story of how our families embarked on a one-year journey of kindness, and include our successes, failures, and the encouragement you need as a family to incorporate kindness into your own life.
We would love to walk alongside you in encouragement, inspiration, and community. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as The Ruth Experience or sign up for our monthly newsletter (no spam, ever), here.
We would love to walk alongside you in encouragement, inspiration, and community. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as The Ruth Experience or sign up for our monthly newsletter (no spam, ever), here.
If you already have one of our books and love them, we'd so appreciate it if you leave a review on Amazon.
We're in this together,
Julie, Kendra, and Kristin
my computer screen, I resisted the urge to roll my eyes.
 |
Bored, really? With a room full of books and toys, an overloaded craft closet, free rein to bake something, a bike and outdoor swing set, and two sisters to play with each day—how could she possibly be bored?
Though I actually think a little boredom is good for my kids—and certainly don’t go out of my way to entertain them at every moment—I dread hearing the words “I’m bored.”
One way to ward off boredom is having a list of ideas available in advance. Even small twists on mundane items—like eating a picnic lunch outside instead of our regular lunch at the table—can remind my kids that if they’re feeling bored, there are plenty of ways to create their own fun.
To that end, here’s a list of 10 fun, frugal outdoor activities to help bust kids’ boredom this summer. Though some ideas require leaving the house, many are free and easily accomplished at home.
To read the rest of the article at Joyful Life Magazine's blog (and for more heart + home inspiration from a beautiful collective of authors), click here.
Our newest book, One Good Word a Day,
offers simple but deeply spiritual meditations that will help readers
linger on one word each day so they can identify and reflect on how
Jesus as the Word influences their daily lives.
Looking for encouragement in your friendships? Our adult friendship devotional, The One Year Daily Acts of Friendship,
includes a daily scripture,
story, and friendship prompt. It's encouraging and slightly challenging
(in a good way!) in helping you find, keep, and love your friends.
Our devotional for tweens is a great complement to our devotional for women! 100 Daily Acts of Friendship for Girls
is written specifically for girls ages 8-12 as they navigate
friendships in upper elementary and middle school. With a scripture,
short story, reflection questions and 50 fun activities to do with you
or friends, it's a wonderful way to encourage your daughter, niece,
granddaughter, God daughter and her friends to build healthy friendships
from an early age.
We've also written two kindness devotionals, The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness and 100 Days of Kindness.
They tell the story of how our families embarked on a one-year journey
of kindness, and include our successes, failures, and the encouragement
you need as a family to incorporate kindness into your own life.
We would love to walk alongside you in encouragement, inspiration, and community. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as The Ruth Experience or sign up for our monthly newsletter (no spam, ever), here.
We would love to walk alongside you in encouragement, inspiration, and community. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as The Ruth Experience or sign up for our monthly newsletter (no spam, ever), here.
If you already have one of our books and love them, we'd so appreciate it if you leave a review on Amazon.
We're in this together,
Julie, Kendra, and Kristin
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