“Sleep is the best time to repair, but it’s hard to get a good night’s rest when we don’t dial the inner chatter down.” Kris Carr
Sometimes it’s just hard to fall asleep, isn’t it? You have all those “voices” telling you all the things you didn’t get done today and reminding you of all the things you need to get done tomorrow. It’s hard to turn them off.
Here’s a drug-free way to sleep that works for me – and a lot of my subscribers here – and I hope it does the same for you. It’s called the “ABCs of Gratitude.”
Pick a random letter in the alphabet. For example, I may choose to start with “C” for cat because Tinkerbell is just so darn cute. So, it goes like this…
C – I’m grateful for my CAT, Tinkerbell, because she makes me laugh.
D – I’m grateful for my DAD, and the time we get to spend together
E – I’m grateful for EVERYTHING I’ve gotten done on my list today
F – I’m grateful for the FUN I had with Scott
Etc. until you fall asleep. Now, there are some nights you will go through the alphabet – TWICE! But most times you’ll find you’re sound asleep after only five or six letters (which is why I no longer start with the letter “A.”)
A variation is to pick a single letter in the alphabet and think about as many things as you can that begin with that letter that you’re grateful for. Either way, you’re giving those “voices” something to do – putting your gratitudes in alphabetical order, and you’re able to turn them off and go to sleep.
The other nice thing about this practice is that research shows that people who have a regular gratitude practice are awake less time before they fall asleep, they sleep more soundly, and they awaken more refreshed. So what’s the moral of this story?
Count your blessings, not sheep!
