Gratitude is a practice that helps you acknowledge and appreciate what’s going well in your life. When practicing gratitude, it’s something we foster on a regular basis. It’s an ongoing mood, feeling or emotion that we express about our experience of life as a whole… a mindset. You don’t need something good to happen to be grateful. It’s simply being present and appreciating all the amazing things life has to offer and not taking them for granted. We have a tendency to focus on negativity or what we don’t have, so by focusing on the positive and what’s good, you can transform your mood, health and life.
There are many proven health benefits of practicing gratitude, improving our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual wellbeing. Feeling grateful boosts empathy, joy, compassion and reduces aggression, separation and negativity. You can even practice gratitude for challenging situations, experiencing them as a lesson. When we go through difficult times, the ability to learn and grow from them is truly something to be grateful for.
10 Benefits of Practicing Gratitude
- Foster positivity and emotional wellness
- Improves overall health
- Improve physical wellbeing… less aches, pains and imbalances in the body
- Increase social connections
- Improve relationships
- Boost empathy, joy and compassion
- Cultivate more presence
- Improves sleep
- Helps career and life goals
- Reduce aggression
“We hold the key to lasting happiness in our own hands. For it is not joy that makes us grateful; it is gratitude that makes us joyful.” — Brene Brown
Ways to Practice Gratitude
Gratitude list: Write down three things you’re grateful for everyday. Try these 10 gratitude journal prompts:
- Write down one good thing that happened to you today.
- Name 5 things you are doing well currently.
- Name 3 things that always put a smile on your face.
- Name 3 things that you can start doing today to express your gratitude to others? (helping, volunteering, donating, etc).
- What things do you own that make life easier?
- Spend a few minutes focusing on your 5 senses and write down how you can be more mindful of each.
- What about your career or job are you grateful for?
- Make a list of 20 ways you are fortunate.
- Name 3 talents or qualities you have that you are grateful for.
- Write about a time someone went out of their way to help you.
Donate
Volunteer
Show appreciation for others—say thank you and smile!
Breath awareness: Our breath is life. Close your eyes for a few minutes to feel the sensation of your breath and be grateful for it.
Appreciate nature
Gratitude art projects
Meditation: Try my Gratitude and Play Visualization Meditation:
Affirmations:
- “I am grateful for who I am and what I have”
- “I am grateful for the gift of this precious human life”
- “I appreciate my body and all it allows me to do”
- “I am thankful for the ability to learn, develop, and grow”
- “I love and appreciate my family and friends”
- “I am grateful for nourishing food and clean water”
- “I am thankful for my shelter”
Do you practice gratitude? Appreciating life’s simple pleasures is very humbling and highlights what really brings you joy. Reminding yourself on a daily basis of how fortunate you really are can help you move through each day with more positivity and hope.
