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Pocket Pennies: A Gratitude Practice to Rewire Your Brain for Happiness
Welcome, friend. I'm Julia Cartwright, and I'm so glad you're here with me today. December can feel like drinking coffee through a fire hose, can't it? The holidays are in full swing, expectations are climbing, and somewhere between the shopping lists and the family gatherings, we forget to notice what's actually going right. Today, we're going to fix that together. Let's find some happiness hiding in the small things you might've missed.
Go ahead and settle into a comfortable position, somewhere you won't be interrupted for the next five minutes. Your couch, a chair, the floor—honestly, anywhere works. Take a moment to feel your body making contact with whatever's supporting you right now. That solid, reliable support is always there. Now, let's breathe together. Inhale slowly through your nose for a count of four, feeling your belly expand like a balloon filling with air. Hold it gently for a beat. Then exhale through your mouth for four counts, releasing everything you're carrying. Do that one more time. Good.
Now, I want you to think about something small that happened today. Not the big wins or the major milestones. I'm talking about the tiny, forgettable moments. Maybe it was the exact temperature of your shower, or the way someone smiled at you in passing, or that one song that came on shuffle. Whatever it was, just let it float into your mind without forcing it. Don't judge whether it's significant enough. The magic of gratitude isn't about dramatic moments. It's about training your brain to spot the good stuff that's already there, like finding pennies in your coat pocket.
Feel that moment in your body. Where does it live? Your chest? Your shoulders? Your hands? Let yourself genuinely feel the small warmth of it. Gratitude isn't just a thought we think. It's something we feel, experience, embody. When we do this consistently, we're literally rewiring our brains toward happiness. Scientists call it positivity bias, but I call it learning to see with grateful eyes.
As you move through the rest of your day, keep this practice alive. Pick one more small moment to pause and truly notice. One meal, one conversation, one moment of quiet. Don't overthink it. Just stop, breathe, and feel grateful for whatever that is.
Thank you so much for joining me on Gratitude Practice: Daily Mindfulness Reflections for Happiness. If this resonated with you, please subscribe so you don't miss a single moment of joy. You deserve to feel this good every single day.
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This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI
Published on 2 weeks, 3 days ago