4 Ways to Appreciate Your Life More in 2018

“Appreciation” is been at the top of my mind lately. I have been trying to be as appreciative as possible, but I’m only human and sometimes I forget. Maxie’s tips today are great ways to appreciate your life this year… we all can benefit from this for sure!

4 Ways to Appreciate Your Life More in 2018

Guest post by Maxie McCoy

Somehow we’re here – here in a new year. Here in 2018. Here with an entirely blank canvas ahead of each of us. It’s so exciting and often can be quite overwhelming. I personally began the year feeling more of the latter because there’s so much I want to do this year to expand my life and sometimes I just don’t know where to start.

However, I know sure and well that the best way to have a big and amazing year isn’t to go setting grand plans and lofty resolutions. It’s to anchor down in where you’re at, to tune into the person you’re already becoming, and to be wildly grateful. That’s what gets us where we want to be… appreciation. It’s where all great moments begin.

It’s easy to say. Harder to do. And even more challenging to keep up. But if you appreciate more of your life in this next year, everything you really want will likely come finding you because you’re already so grateful for where you’re at.

If you want to practice more appreciation (because that’s what it is… a practice), consider these:

Slow down. When you’re hustling really hard, overachieving, and over-committing… it’s hard to take in all of the moments there are to be wonderfully grateful for. Appreciating the small things is where our lives really start to light up. Whether it’s the smell of the air, the smile from the stranger passing you on the street, or the sweet text from your friend…slow down enough that you can appreciate all the tiny and easy moments there are to love.

Write more love notes. Our people are our everything. And when it comes to appreciating life, it’s impossible to do without appreciating your people. Expressing your love and how you really feel can be punctuated with a good love note. Maybe it’s sent via text, or email, or the good ole fashion way, but whatever you do…express it. And give clear examples and reasons for your love. That’s the stuff that really sticks with people. And as much as you appreciate them… trust me. It’ll come back to your heart tenfold.

Give yourself a daily reminder. I keep my gratitude journal by my bed so I can’t turn off my lamp without seeing it, which serves as a nightly reminder. Sometimes, a daily calendar invite in your phone that reminds you every day to list three things you’re grateful for can work too. Sometimes, I even keep this #batshitgrateful image on my phone to remind myself every time I look at it to think of something I’m grateful for. Whatever you do, get in the habit of naming the things you appreciative every day, and so much more of it will come back to you.

Look up. Up to the sky. Up from your phone. Up from your laptop. Up from the ground. Up to make eye contact. That’s where you’ll find all that there is to be grateful for. Where you can connect with humans, and your breath and nature is where you’ll really learn and feel the goodness that is all around you…without having to have “big wins” or major accomplishments.

Appreciate everything, and you’ll be on your way to the very best year yet without having to change a thing. You’ve already got everything you need for your life to expand brilliantly.

For more weekly love notes from Maxie, sign up for her emails!