4 Ways to Practice Gratitude Over Your Morning Cup of Coffee (or Tea)
Think about yesterday — what comes to mind first? The several pleasant moments, or that one nasty conversation you had at work? If you immediately conjure the negative moments, you’re not alone. The human brain is naturally wired to react more strongly to negative stimuli, and mindfulness is one of the most effective methods to counteract this negativity bias.
Where do you start? With your morning dose of caffeine! Here are our top ways to practice gratitude and cultivate mental positivity while savoring your favorite drink from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf®.
Consider Your Coffee
For your journey towards gratitude, start simple. Thank the people responsible for making your morning cup of coffee or tea. Author AJ Jacobs set out to accomplish this very task, traveling the world to thank everyone in person for transforming a seed into the cup of coffee he drinks every morning. He learned that more than 1000 individuals are responsible for the processes and materials that make local coffee shops possible. “It doesn’t take a village to make a cup of coffee — it takes the world to make a cup of coffee,” Jacobs commented in his Ted Talk.
So thank your friendly barista. Thank the truck driver for getting our beans to the store. Thank our coffee master, Jay Isais, for selecting the top 1% of Arabica beans worldwide. Thank the small coffee farmers in remote regions we partner with to provide the most flavorful beans to our customers.
Start a Gratitude Journal
Instead of scrolling through gloom and doom on social media, take five minutes while you cozy up to your morning Oat Milk Latte to fill a page in your gratitude journal. Think about the little kindnesses, conveniences, and victories you’ve experienced in the last 24 hours, and start writing.
Get yourself going by asking basic questions. What are you grateful for right now? What have your family and friends done to make your life better? Recording your gratitude on the page will calibrate your mind to think positively at work, at home, in class or on-the-go.
Reconnect
Consider your morning ritual of coffee or tea an opportunity to express unspoken gratitude to someone special in your life. When happy memories pass through your brain, train yourself to transform that memory into an expression of gratitude.
While sipping on a Matcha Latte send a text to your old coworker thanking them for always supporting you professionally. Or, call up your uncle and thank him for encouraging you to apply to your dream school all those years ago. You can even write a short thank-you letter to a mentor or friend who made a considerable impact on your life. Just don’t forget the postage!
Hit the Pavement
Stop by The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf near you, grab a seasonal Winter Dream Tea® Latte and go for a stroll. Choose a different route than your daily commute. Take the time to soak in the scenery and note what you’re grateful for. Cute Pomeranians playing at the park? The architecture of the local library? Your favorite hole-in-the-wall pho restaurant?
Maybe you appreciate the cloudy fall sky, or the sound of a catchy song blasting from a passing car. Slowing down and taking stock of the small joys around you can cure a case of the morning grumpies.
When you’re enjoying a refreshing, tasty morning beverage from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf you can lift your spirits and rewire your brain for peace and productivity by practicing small acts of daily gratitude. From all of us at The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, THANK YOU for taking us from a single location in SoCal to a beloved global brand.
