Gratitude is a concept that we’re all familiar with.
However, it’s not necessarily something that we practice within our routine lives. Oftentimes we simply go through each day not necessarily taking the things and privileges we have for granted, but also not consciously thinking about them.
Yes, we may express to our friends, family, co-workers, teachers, etc. that we are thankful for the support, love, sacrifices, advice, time, and so much more than they give to and for us, but not as often as we may want or even need to.
Again, this is not to say that we don’t appreciate the impact that the people present in our lives have made on us. This is not to say that we should be ashamed for not practicing gratitude all the time because we shouldn’t; what we should do is use our desire to make our gratitude known to motivate us and push us to follow through and start in our practice.
Practicing gratitude comes with some pretty helpful and important benefits, which is why I feel it’s crucial for everyone to begin to engage in this activity, even on a smaller scale. Intentionally thinking about and expressing what we’re each grateful for can lead to a big shift in the way we both participate in and think about the world.
Crazy as it sounds, practicing gratitude can cause us to not only be more mentally and emotionally healthy, but physically healthy, too; overall, this activity can aid in us experiencing fewer illnesses, getting more restful sleep, and exercising more. On top of this, we become happier, more optimistic, more satisfied with life, and more resilient when facing challenges.
Gratitude allows us to be present in the positive moments, and the more we do this, the more we are able to identify these times and be more present and aware of them.
We become more mindful and strengthen both our relationships with ourselves and others. Expressions of our appreciation to our loved ones can be extremely positive, healthy, intimate, emotional, and supportive, and they bring with them a strong sense of closeness, joy, generosity, and so much more.
It should now be pretty clear as to why it’s beneficial for us to practice gratitude towards for both the small and big things that come along with life. So, where are some good places for us to start?
If you are interested in beginning your gratitude practices, then things like weekly gratitude journals, gratitude letters and visits, and awe in the present moment are easy but effective activities to undertake.
Weekly gratitude journals are just that: journals that track what you are thankful for each day throughout your week; the wonderful thing about journaling, and about practicing gratitude in general, is that you don’t have to pick “big” things to be grateful for. You can spend time meditating on the fact that you were grateful that you stopped to treat yourself to ice cream or that you got to sleep in warm, freshly washed sheets!
Gratitude letters and visits are something that I personally am hoping to participate more in. Gratitude letters involve sitting down with a pen and a piece of paper and spending roughly ten minutes writing to someone you’re most grateful for in your life about all that you want to thank them for.
After writing the letter, you get to share it; when doing a gratitude letter exercise, you take time to visit whoever you wrote about in person (maybe incorporating it into your gratitude visit, which are visits you make to those you’re thankful for to spend time with them) or call and read your letter aloud. While this may cause you to feel nervous, embarrassed, or vulnerable in the beginning, when you reflect upon your own thoughts, emotions, and reactions, as well as those of your letter’s recipient, then you start to understand the true positivity and love that this interaction can bring you.
Finally, awe in the present moment really means participating fully in whatever is currently happening. It is noticing the feelings of wonder, thankfulness, and appreciation that you have, as well as the thoughts related to them. As I mentioned before, pouring yourself into, as well as effectively and gently bringing any stray attention back to, the present aids you in noticing and remaining focused in the positive moments in your life. Awe in the present moment gives you the ability to live mindfully, not mindlessly.
Before you head off on a path to a new, more meaningful life, here are some tips as to how best to practice mindfulness:
1. Don’t just go through the motions.
Make the conscious decision to become happier and more grateful, as this causes your endeavors to become more effective.
2. Go for depth over breadth
Elaborate in detail about a particular thing for which you’re grateful, don’t just write a superficial list just to put words on paper.
3. Get personal
Focus on people, not things, to whom you are grateful since this creates more of an impact on you.
4. Try subtraction, not just addition
Reflect on what your life would be like without certain blessings, rather than just tallying them up.
5. Savor surprises
Record unexpected or surprising events because they tend to elicit a stronger sense of gratitude.
