#431 Extending the gratitude journey: Insights and reflections from our daily gratitude practice.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

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Welcome to Personal Development Mastery podcast, #431. Today is a reflection, and I'd like to take a deep dive into the previous episode, which was about "the simple daily practice that changed our lives last year".

In particular, I'd like to revisit some points from the transformative journey of gratitude that my good friend Jamie Fair and I discussed on the podcast last Monday. 

If you haven't had a chance to listen to the previous episode, we talked about a simple daily practice we've been doing for the past year, where we share daily gratitude, and how it has significantly changed our lives over the past year.

So today, as well as discussing the profound effects of daily gratitude practices, I would like to mention some of the additional and perhaps unexpected benefits, such as friendship, vulnerability and emotional wellbeing.

And although it felt awkward at first to record and send voice messages about what we were grateful for each day, as we continued, the practice became a cornerstone of our routines, offering, among other things, a deeper connection between us and a heightened appreciation for life's small joys.

This daily ritual fostered trust, self-reflection and created a safe space to share our deepest thoughts and feelings. It allowed us to feel supported and heard - without judgement. 

More than that, one of the biggest benefits for me is that I have become more vulnerable - more willing to open up and express my thoughts and feelings.

You know, vulnerability is often seen as a weakness, but it is actually a strength. It allows us to connect with others on a deeper level and cultivate authentic relationships. The experience that Jamie and I have had shows this clearly.

Actually, this particular benefit of vulnerability was more brought to my attention by my partner Thoko, who made the observation that although anyone can do this practice, it would be particularly great for men - because men often feel that they cannot share their feelings and vulnerabilities because of the societal expectations of men not to show weakness, to be strong, and so on.

And I will personally testify here that doing this practice with my friend Jamie has been very beneficial to my mental health! 

Since the episode came out, I have had a few comments from you about how nice it is as an idea, and one of them was Peggy - so Peggy, I hope you do it and tell me what happens!

I also had a question from one of the listeners, May, who asked: "How do you find the right person to do this practice with, and how do you know if it's the right person?

That's a great question, May, thank you for asking it, and I bet other Mastery seekers have wondered exactly the same thing. So to answer that, if it were me, I would be looking for someone who feels the same way about doing this practice as you do - that is, they would also be thinking "what a great idea this is - let's give it a go!

As for knowing if it's the right person, I think it's a matter of trusting your intuition to start the practice with someone in the first place. Then, after a while, you'll know if it's the right person!

I hope this helps you gain some insight, and if you have any more questions, please let me know!

As you have probably realised by now, the practice is valuable and I truly believe it can be life changing if you allow it to be.

If you haven't listened to the episode where Jamie and I discuss all this and more in detail, go to the previous episode #430. Again, if anything you have heard here resonates with you and you feel intrigued or even inspired to try this simple practice, then I salute and congratulate you. I look forward to hearing your stories of transformation.

Until next time,
Stand out, don't fit in!