- Gratitude and personal development: Leo from actualised.org discusses the topic of gratitude, its popularity in the realm of personal development and self-help due to numerous scientific studies on it. One of these studies reveals that practicing gratitude for 30 days can increase overall happiness and satisfaction with life by about 20%.
- The trap of perfectionism: Leo warns of the trap we often fall into, attempting to build a "perfect life". This usually starts with striving for an amazing career, then perfect finances, then a perfect residence, a perfect relationship, and so on. However, this pursuit of perfection can eventually result in stress and unhappiness, despite the initial belief that it would be "heaven on earth".
- Combatting perfectionism with gratitude: Gratitude can be a powerful tool against the tendency for perfectionism in life and personal development. Amid working on life improvements, it's beneficial to step back and appreciate what you already have in your life achievements, privileges, or even circumstances you had no control over. Being content with your current state of life does not hinder the continuous hard work, discipline, and goal-setting needed for personal growth.
- Avoiding the trap of laziness through gratitude: It's crucial not to use gratitude as an excuse to avoid challenges or as a disguise for fears. Recognizing problems and actively working on solving them are critical aspects of personal growth. It's not about choosing between gratitude and hard work, but about practicing both simultaneously.
- Practicing gratitude through a gratitude journal: One common way to practice gratitude is through a gratitude journal, where you can write down things you are grateful for. The process can be short and straightforward, requiring only a few minutes. However, consistency is key to its effectiveness.
- Practicing gratitude: Practicing gratitude can be as simple as writing down a list of things you're grateful for each day. This could be anything and everything, and doing this for two minutes daily can increase happiness by helping you appreciate the present moment without constantly chasing the future.
- Present moment appreciation: Feelings of happiness may be fleeting when they're tied to achieving goals because our minds tend to quickly create new goals once old ones are achieved. A lasting sense of happiness could stem from appreciating the present without trying to alter it relentlessly.
- Mental gratitude exercise: If journaling seems too routine, an alternative is to mentally note things you're grateful for each morning. This could include big things, like being alive and healthy, or small day-to-day pleasures like a warm bed or perfect cup of coffee.
- Focus on little things: While it's important to appreciate significant achievements or possessions, the small and frequent occurrences in our life make up our daily existence and should be deeply appreciated, as they offer opportunities for everyday happiness.
- Customize your gratitude: Although gratitude for general items like health and family is important, try to list specific aspects of your life that you value - this personalizes the practice. Reflect on personal achievements and the unique circumstances of your life that you appreciate, such as living in the 21st century or receiving a good education.
- Suggested exercise: Make a list of 100 things you are grateful for as a way to reflect on the unique blessings and achievements in your life, this will help cultivate a more personalized appreciation of your life.
- Gratitude Exercise: Leo urges viewers to create a list of 100 things they are grateful for at the end of this video. He stresses the importance of this exercise as it aids in uncovering overlooked blessings and achievements. This process acts as a retrospective exercise, slowing one down and allowing more contemplative thoughts.
- Grateful for Comfort: He suggests areas to be grateful for, such as the comfort of one's home, family, and parents, and the love and care they provide. Even if the family environment was not ideal, they still played a critical role in one's life.
- Appreciating Education and Pets: Other areas include education and knowledge obtained from professors, friends, and books. Pets are also a source of joy and their contribution should be recognized.
- Food and Media: Gratefulness should also extend to the marvels of modern food and the vast variety available compared to ancient times. The easy and cheap availability of media that can entertain, emotionally move, and educate people should also be appreciated.
- Technology Advancements: The amazing technological advancements developed in the last 20 years should be acknowledged, from everyday gadgets to industrial-scale production in factories. Also, acknowledge basic amenities like electricity, air conditioning, and health services like birth control.
- Health Appreciation: As people age, health becomes more of a concern, making one more appreciative of the times spent without health issues. Being grateful for bodily functions, senses, and energy levels is advised.
- Marvel at The Sciences: One should be grateful for biology, chemistry, and physics. Upon studying these subjects, it increases appreciation for the incredible complexity of life and the flawless functioning of the universe. In doing so, it brings about a sense of wonder and appreciation of the grandeur of existence.
- Importance of Gratitude: In this section, Leo emphasises the importance of being grateful for the universe, psychology, personal development, and for the country, state, city, and the societal systems we live in. He points out that no matter how flawed our societies might seem, they are still significantly better and safer than they were centuries ago. He also invites viewers to appreciate the economic system that allows people to exchange goods and earn money.
- Appreciating the Era We Live In: Leo underscores the fortune of living in the 21st century with access to advancements in technology, political systems, culture, and media that didn't exist years ago. He prompts viewers to consider how drastically different, and possibly difficult, life would have been if they lived thousands of years ago.
- Reflection on Safety and Freedom: Leo motivates viewers to think about the level of safety and freedom they currently enjoy compared to times of political instability and chaos. He expresses that we have significantly more freedom and safety now than we would have had just a few thousand years ago.
- Exploration of Awareness and Sensation: Awareness and sensation, according to Leo, are amazing aspects of being human that often go underappreciated. Our capabilities to experience a broad set of sensations and our level of awareness are presented as elements to be deeply grateful for.
- Gratitude for Life: Leo concludes by encouraging gratitude for life itself, highlighting the fact that we exist and are part of this world full of life forms. He reminds viewers to cherish the time remaining in their lives and asks them to create their own list of things they are grateful for.
- Conclusion and CTA: Leo urges viewers to share their list of things they are grateful for in the comments section, to like and share the video, and to sign up for his free newsletter that focuses on personal development. He wishes the viewers a happy festive season and promises new content in the future.