A 12-minute meditation to rewire your brain for optimism

When things don’t go as planned, it’s easy to find all the ways things can go wrong. This gratitude practice aims to change that.

When you’re stuck in a rut, it’s easy to focus on what’s wrong and neglect what’s right. This gratitude practice aims to change that. Its purpose is to amplify the experience of optimism. Hundreds of studies show that this simple change can lead to improved mood, improved relationships, and even better physical health.

A 10-minute gratitude habit to notice, change, and rewire.

The audio was recorded by Priti Patel.

1. Start by finding a comfortable seat. For this exercise, you can close your eyes or open them and give a gentle gaze. Make sure you are sitting as comfortably as possible and see if you can sit up straight. To find the perfect balance point, you may find yourself rocking back and forth and side to side until you find the perfect seat. Feel your body calm down.

2. Now take a few slow breaths. Let go of all attempts to control or shape your breathing. Allow natural access. Relax and release tension and stress. Feel grounded yet present, relaxed and alert.

3. Start by noticing. Pay attention to your current mental state. How are you feeling right now? How are you feeling right now, at this moment? See if you can just notice it without judging it as good or bad.

4. Now, take inventory of everything you have to be grateful for in your life and change your mindset. Feel gratitude for the people and circumstances that brought you to this moment here today. Express your gratitude to your parents and grandparents. Be grateful for the opportunities you have in life, education, travel, work experience, etc.

5. Take care of your mental and physical health. Express gratitude for your physical health. Be grateful for your heart and intellect. Feel gratitude for the talents and skills you have. Now think about how grateful you are to the people around you. Express your gratitude to your loved ones. Feel the gratitude for your extended family. Be grateful to your colleagues and friends. Express your gratitude to the mentors in your life who helped you grow into the person you are today.

6. Next, think about your gratitude towards the Earth. For water. food. And the air we breathe every day. Now, choose the one thing you are most grateful for at this moment. Relax every muscle in your body.

7. Dig deeper into your experience of gratitude through a short visualization. Start by remembering the people in your life that you care deeply about. I’m a parent. spouse. I’m a child. Or a close friend. Picture them in your mind’s eye. Then think back to a moment when you felt a particularly strong connection with that person. This moment may be recent, or it may be in the distant past. Let your mind return to this moment of divine connection. Remember where you were. Think about everything you see: scenery, places, people, time of day.

8. See if you can get back to how you felt in that moment. The presence of love, contentment, or true connection. Notice all the sensations and emotions that occur in your mind and body. And see if you can let go of the judgment. For better or for worse. Please don’t analyze it. Just allow what you feel to come and go.

9. Focus on one aspect of this moment that you feel particularly grateful for. That person. This is the setting. your mental state. Fill your mind and body with this feeling of gratitude. Just take a few more breaths. Stay focused on this quality of gratitude.

10. Let us once again connect the benefits of this practice. Take just 15 seconds to experience this feeling of gratitude. Please let it penetrate thoroughly. When you are ready, open your eyes completely. I slowly return to my room. Move the parts of your body that feel stiff.

11. And as you go about the rest of your day, consider expressing your gratitude to the person you chose in this exercise. It can be a text, email, card, or just a heartfelt wish for them. And notice how this expression of gratitude changes your day.