I have observed that bedtime offers us, parents, an incredible opportunity to build lasting memories with our families. But even if you don’t have children (or your children are grown) it’s still a perfect time to reflect on and bring closure to the day. My wife developed a small bedtime ritual that we do with our children to help us all close out the day. This ritual includes the following questions:
- What was the favorite part of your day today?
- What was the most beautiful part of your day?
- What were you most grateful for today?
Over time, I realized that this simple but profound practice of reflecting was not only good for our kids but for us adults as well. This daily reflection has helped us to:
- be more observant of the world around us
- be more present for those we love and ourselves
- build incredible lasting memories
- integrate the good things in our life into our psyche
- shift from a negative frame of mind to a more positive one
- stop, see, and appreciate the beauty that is truly all around us
- be more grateful
- expand our perspective and worldview end our day on a good note.
Cultivating a sense of gratitude gives us many benefits including developing a sense of peace, joy, love, happiness, and contentment – and bedtime is the perfect time to do that reflection.
Question: What do you do to help you close out the day with your children, your partner, or yourself? You can leave a comment by clicking here.