Mindset Monday - The Gratitude Perspective
“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance” – Eckhart Tolle
However simple or elaborate you choose to make it, a morning routine should be a part of your day. It can be as simple as a stretching routine, breathing exercise, 50 pushups, repeating a few words or jotting down a few ideas before you move on to anything else. Or all of the above.
In my opinion, whatever you choose for your morning routine, a gratitude exercise should be a part of that routine. This doesn’t have to be complex. Some have a gratitude journal, some say out loud what they are grateful, and some simply make it a habit to run through all the things they are grateful for in their heads while they brush their teeth.
In the day and age of the viral social media influencer when we hear about a morning routine it often involves these extreme measures and elaborate steps. Starting with an ice bath, then I run 52 miles, then I read 2 books on double speed, etc. If that is you, or where you want to get to then by all means chase it, but that isn’t most of us. That doesn’t mean that we cant find a morning routine that serves us and make gratitude the first thing we experience in our day. I find that small incremental changes lead to big results. You don’t need to go out and by a $5000 ice bath and get up at 3:30am to have a successful morning routine and seek gratitude.
We live in a world where a mindset of scarcity and being unfulfilled is winning the war between our ears. Is always about what we don’t have, the goals we haven’t hit, the things we want. Setting your intention for the day from a perspective of gratitude turns the volume down on those thoughts and gives us way more energy to attack the day.
For years I have said that if you want to get some perspective and seek gratitude, next time you are feeling particularly beat up by the day to day, take a drive by the local children’s hospital and take a few minutes to watch the people walking in and out. I have done it several times over the years seeking perspective. You instantaneously feel a sense of gratitude and a perspective shift as to what’s important.
This last week that became so much more real for me in a different way. I was now on the other end. I was now one of the parents walking my son into children’s hospital for a heart surgery to correct a defect we discovered a little less than a year ago. (He is doing great and recovering at home now). Just sitting in that waiting room, because I choose to seek it, there was an overwhelming sense of gratitude (mixed with a bit of anxiety of course). Gratitude that we had the health care and facilities to fix it, that it was correctable, that we lived next to one of the best heart surgery centers in the country. It would have been easy to focus on the negatives and the stress, but seeking gratitude made the wait during the surgery so much easier.
Tomorrow when you wake up start your day with being grateful for what you have. Take a few minutes to deliberately think about it, or write the words down. Set your intention on your goals from a place of gratitude and everything changes.
Written by Chris Catania
Chris Catania entered the mortgage industry in 2005. As a seasoned Branch Manager and coach at Fairway, Chris has consistently been at the forefront of providing, creative problem solving, exceptional service and tailored financial solutions. His commitment to excellence and deep understanding of the mortgage landscape have made him a trusted advisor and a leading figure in the field.
Beyond his professional achievements, Chris is a Army veteran, devoted husband and father. He is an avid outdoorsman and hunter. Chris also brings his leadership experience and skills to the community as a coach, where he mentors individuals, teaching them the values of teamwork, discipline, accountability and perseverance. Chris Catania's blend of professional acumen, family dedication, and community involvement truly sets him apart as a respected professional and valued community member.
