Let’s be honest! Trying for a baby sounds like a lot of fun and but it can also be pretty stressful. Worrying throughout a 2-week wait, starting down at the negative sign yet again, feeling emotional whenever you hear another pregnancy announcement, and repeating the process every month – it can really be a rollercoaster ride! Your body is a reflection of what is going on in your mind.
A famous quote from Henry Ford says, “whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” It is important to be mindful of your thoughts as they become your reality. If you are on your fertility journey for a while and nothing happens month after month, it can start to take a toll on your emotional state and you easily become anxious, negative and hopeless. It doesn’t mean you shouldn’t have these thoughts, but it is important to acknowledge them, feel them, and then let them go.
There are many ways to change our mindset, and one of them is with gratitude. The more you focus on the positive, the easier it would become. On your fertility journey, gratitude is not always the first emotion that comes to mind, however there is an array of benefits for keeping a gratitude journal including:
- Reducing stress
- Feeling calmer
- Helping you to focus on what is important
- Giving you a safe space to let your thoughts and emotions out
Additionally, you can include as much or as little detail as what you want, but you need to finish with 5 or more things you are grateful for. That’s why when you focus on gratitude, you acknowledge what you have and abundance in life.
How to Keep a Gratitude Journal:
Firstly, get yourself a notebook or journal and decorate it as you wish. Make it yours. I find it best to keep it by my bedside, then I can see it when I go to bed and reflect on the day. You can do it any time of day, but try to do it at the same time every day to create a habit.
You may also want to start the morning with 5 things you are grateful for and your intentions for the day. Besides, you can have a positive affirmation to set yourself up for the day. Examples are:
- “Today is a great day and I have everything I need in me to make it even better”
- “I am, and always be enough”
- “I let go of any negative feelings about myself or my life, and accept all that is good”
- “I love and accept myself; I acknowledge my self-worth, my confidence is rising”
Remember, affirmations always are in the present tense and positive.
Spend 5-15 minutes jotting down your thoughts (if you wish) and 5-10 things you are grateful for. It can be big things or little things examples are:
- I am grateful for 15 minutes to sit in the sunshine
- I am grateful for 20 minutes to read my book today
- I am grateful for a lovely breakfast this morning
It is your journal and you can adapt it to suit you, but remember it is all about gratitude!
Other blogs you may be interested in:
- Fertility: Importance of Healthy Cervical Mucus
- Fertility Assessment
- How to Conceive Naturally after 30
