Welcome to another edition of the 1% Habits Newsletter!

This is where you’ll get up-to-date information on small wins to improve your habits, productivity, and life satisfaction. 

Let’s get to it…

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📈 How to Complete a 30-Day Gratitude Challenge

Today (November 1st) is the start of National Gratitude Month.

Now, I think you’ll agree with me when I tell you…

Life can be challenging sometimes.

From social media to the news, we are bombarded by negative messages all day long.

And that can lead to negative thoughts and negative beliefs about ourselves and our lives.

It’s no wonder we’re walking around with a negative mindset, complaining about every little thing.

What we also know is mental illness, like anxiety and depression, is on the rise. The latest findings revealed that 19.1% of U.S. adults experienced mental illness in 2018 (47.6 million people). This represents 1 in 5 adults.

So what can you do to live a more positive and happier life?

One word…

Gratitude.

The benefits of gratitude have been well documented.

From making us happier to making us more optimistic, gratitude can improve our overall health, deepen our relationships, and increase our productivity.

That’s where the 30 days of gratitude comes in!

Imagine how much your life can improve if you practiced gratitude for 30 consecutive days.

Why 30 Days?

You might be wondering if there is something magical about 30 days.

We know that creating a new habit can be difficult.

Whether we’re trying to change a negative behavior, such as eliminating complaining from our lives or trying to add a positive behavior, like keeping a gratitude journal, or starting a new exercise program, it’s not easy. 

We’ve lived our lives one way for years. 

How can we be expected to change our ways?

The first way to make it easier on yourself is to focus on one new habit at a time. In this case gratitude.

But it’s not enough to focus on just one subject matter, like gratitude. There are many ways to practice gratitude as you’ll learn below. What you’ll want to do is to pick one way to express gratitude, and do it everyday for the next 30 days.

Pick one way to express your gratitude and do it everyday for the next 30 days.

As an example, one of the reasons people fail to reach their weight loss goals is they try to make too many changes at once.

Eliminate sugar, drink water, lift weights, go for a walk, minimize processed foods, eat mindfully.  The list goes on and on. And most people quit when you give them too many things to change.

So you’ll pick one specific gratitude action step to focus on.

The other reason many people fail on a new habit is because they think they have to keep the new habit forever.

Tell me I can’t have chocolate anymore for the rest of my life, and I’ll kick and scream.

But tell me to eliminate it for 30 days, and it becomes much more doable.

It’s not forever. There’s an endpoint. And when there’s a defined end in mind, we can work with that.

So that’s why a 30 day challenge works so well – it’s long enough to experience some positive changes in your life, but short enough to where you’re not overwhelmed by it.

How to Build the 30-Day Gratitude Habit

Here’s a simple plan for building the 30-day gratitude habit. 

1. Come up with a plan.

Take a few days to pick your specific gratitude habit (we’ll give you some ideas in the next section), analyze your behaviors and then identify triggers.

Next, plan out how you’ll overcome your obstacles, pick the time of day you’ll implement the habit, and plan who your support network will be.

Finally, you'll need to create a log for the habit, pick rewards, and decide what your motivations are. Write these down!

(You can use our 30-Day Gratitude Challenge Tracker.)

2. Practice habit stacking.

When creating this new habit, you’ll have a better chance of sticking with it if you stack it on an existing habit (e.g flossing after brushing your teeth). You’ll want to build in reminders. Try never to skip it. The more consistent you are, the stronger the habit will be.

3. Build in positive feedback.

Focus on enjoyment, make it a game, create competition, do it with a partner or group if possible, and reward yourself for weekly milestones.

4. Enjoy the habit.

If you form a daily habit of writing a thank you card, for example, focus on the full enjoyment of writing the card as you do the new habit. Perhaps you’re recalling a positive memory that you and the recipient of the card shared.

Maybe you imagine the smile on their face as they open your card. Enjoy every aspect of this new habit. This is built-in positive feedback, and you’ll look forward to the new habit if you focus on enjoyment.

5. Announce your success after the habit.

After you go practice your gratitude habit for the day, such as writing a thank you card, post about it on Facebook, Twitter, and your blog. People will congratulate you, and you’ll feel great.

6. Do something enjoyable right after the habit.

If you like to browse Facebook, make a pledge not to do until you’ve completed your gratitude habit for the day.

7. Report daily to a social group.

When you feel like not doing the habit, have one or more people you can call on for help. A social group is built-in positive feedback, as well as motivation through accountability.

10 Examples of Gratitude Statements

Now, if you’re stuck with what to write, here are 10 gratitude statement examples:

1. I am grateful for my sister's constant support and the way my best friend always makes me laugh.

2. I appreciate waking up each morning feeling healthy and having the energy to go for a jog.

3. I am thankful for the beautiful park near my house where I can enjoy peaceful walks.

4. I enjoy and savor the delicious home-cooked meals my partner prepares for us.

5. I am grateful for my favorite playlist that always lifts my mood during tough days.

6. I appreciate the opportunity to take online courses and learn new programming languages.

7. I am thankful for the stranger who held the door open for me when my hands were full.

8. I cherish the memory of family vacations at the beach that bring me so much joy.

9. I am grateful for the challenging project at work that helped me develop new skills.

10. I appreciate the cozy blanket and warm tea that make my evenings at home so comfortable.

As you can see, these statements don’t have to be fancy. Instead just think about what is great in your life and write down one simple statement.

Different Ways to Practice Daily Gratitude

Okay, we’ve given you a good overview of the 30 day gratitude challenge and ways to be successful.

But what if keeping a gratitude journal or writing thank you cards isn’t your thing? 

What are some other ways to express gratitude?

Fortunately, there are many other ways to show gratitude. 

Here are 5 of my favorites that you could commit to for the next 30 days. Remember, pick just one.

1. Create a Gratitude Video

Make a video for someone that has impacted your life and send it to them. Really make it heartfelt and tell the other person not only that they have impacted you, but how. They will love it.

2. Take a Gratitude Walk

Whether it’s right around your neighborhood or a hike in the woods. Immerse yourself in good thoughts while you look at the trees, flowers, snow – all the beauty and abundance of nature.

Leave your phone at home and really notice and think about all of the good things going on in your life.

3. Keep a Gratitude Jar

Keep a jar filled with notes on life’s blessings (small and big) in your home. For the 30 day gratitude challenge, cut up 30 slips of paper. Each day write down one thing you’re grateful for and put it in the jar.

At the end of the 30 days, gather your family around, empty the jar and read all 30 notes. This will help you be more aware of all the good you have in your life.

4. Hug Someone

Hug someone to show how grateful you are to have him or her in your life. A simple hug could be just what a person needs to feel loved and appreciated. Commit to giving one hug per day!

5. Give a Genuine Compliment

Give a compliment on a talent, skill, or strength that you admire in someone. Or compliment someone on their character. Tell someone what you like about them. For the 30 days of gratitude, give one compliment per day.

Final Thoughts on the 30 Days of Gratitude

If you’re looking to live a more positive, happier life, give this 30 Day Gratitude Challenge a try. The key points to remember are to pick only one specific gratitude habit to focus on for the 30 days, and track your progress.

At the end of the 30 days, you make the call whether you want to stick with it or not. 

And Happy Gratitude Month!

⚙️1% Habit Idea

Today’s idea talks about a simple app you can use to increase gratitude and life satisfaction.

Let's face it, we all have those days when negative thoughts seem to take over.

Worries pile up, insecurities nag at us, and before we know it, we're stuck in a cycle of negativity that's hard to break.

One app that can help is Happify, which provides a scientifically-backed way to train your brain to overcome those unhelpful thought patterns.

How Happify Can Help You

Negative thinking raises your anxiety and stress levels to the point that you no longer feel joy for life. Its adverse effects put a strain not only on your mental health but also on your overall well-being.

Supportive apps like Happify can help you deal with the challenge of changing negative thoughts to positive ones in an unconventional way.

Happify is grounded in decades of research from leading experts in positive psychology, mindfulness, and cognitive-behavioral therapy.

By combining proven therapeutic techniques with engaging games and activities, Happify makes the process of retraining your brain feel more like play than work.

The app provides customized “tracks” that allow you to tackle specific issues like:

● Building self-confidence

● Defeating negative thoughts

● Reducing stress and anxiety

With a huge library of exercises ranging from simple breathing techniques to more immersive games and puzzles, Happify ensures your mind never gets bored while leveling up its coping skills.

🗂️ The Resource Roundup

📈 The Most Mentally Tough People Apply the 1% 'Marginal Gains' Rule, Says Performance Expert—Here's How It Works - This article reveals the power of the 1% marginal gains rule, showing how small, consistent improvements can lead to big results over time. It’s a valuable read for anyone looking to boost mental toughness and achieve lasting success through steady progress.

💲 Money CAN Buy Happiness (If You Use It In These Ways) - Can money really buy happiness? This article delves into the ways financial choices can genuinely boost well-being, offering practical insights for anyone looking to spend in ways that enhance their life satisfaction.

🌱 KSS your life (Keep, Stop, Start) - Looking to simplify and improve your life? This article introduces the “Keep, Stop, Start” framework, a powerful tool for identifying what’s working, what’s holding you back, and what new habits to embrace, making it essential for anyone seeking focused, positive change.

🗓️ 67 Days - Feeling like time is slipping away on your goals? This article delivers a motivating reminder that with just 67 days left in the year (now it’s 61), there’s still enough time to make a meaningful change, urging readers to take bold action and push intensity over hesitation.

☘️ How to Make Your Own Luck - Ever felt that luck only favors others? This article reveals practical strategies to create your own luck through action and smart decision-making, making it a valuable read for anyone looking to seize more opportunities in life.

That’s it for today.

Have a great weekend!

Cheers,

Steve Scott