Taking time for gratitude is one of my favorite Microsteps. I first realized the power of gratitude while living in the Philippines in my early 20’s. Nine months into my time on a small island called Iloilo, I got appendicitis and had to have my appendix removed while I was awake –– and even took it home in a little baggie like a pet goldfish! I was far away from my friends and family, and though the people I was with were so kind and caring, I struggled for months after my appendectomy with homesickness and ongoing physical sickness. Eager for a hopeful outlook on my situation, I started a gratitude journal and wrote in it every day, noting the small, seemingly insignificant things that made life brighter: the way light filtered into my room, a smile from a stranger, learning a new word in Ilonggo, or fresh coconut milk on the side of the road. I slowly became grateful for all of the little things around me.
Since that time in the Philippines, I’ve filled up pages of journals with thankfulness. Gratitude has become such an important part of my well-being that my husband even gifted me a ring with an inscription that reminds me to treasure the positives. I acknowledge that gratitude does not negate the fact that sometimes life is hard, but it’s definitely had a profound impact on my resilience and it has shifted my perspective on the world around me.
One of the things I’m most grateful for is the power of human connection. A favorite Microstep I try to incorporate daily is, “Spend time each day being fully present with someone else.” Putting away my devices and carving out time every day to focus on my husband and kids is so important to me. My 3-year-old loves puzzles, which has been a great opportunity to recalibrate and unwind. Gathering around the dinner table every night as a family is an important ritual where we can connect, laugh, catch up on each other’s day, and we often invite others to join us. Finding time every week to visit a friend or have a catch up Zoom chat with a coworker also makes my sociable heart happy.
Another way I take care of well-being is by watching Thrive Resets. It’s amazing how transporting somewhere like the Cliffs of Moher while focusing on my breath can significantly reset my stress levels in just 60 seconds. My kids request at least one Reset every day (often amidst a tantrum!) as a way to calm down and re-center themselves, which has become an invaluable tool in their own well-being toolboxes. My favorite Thrive Reset is Sky of Wonder. Though I’m too afraid to ride a hot air balloon in real life, floating with the clouds, as the Reset says, frees me from “the cares that weigh us down.”
