Have you been meaning to start a gratitude journal, or try to practice gratitude in other ways, but you just haven’t made it a priority? Keep reading for my list of simple gratitude practices that you can start to incorporate on a daily basis, and feel the benefits of appreciating the big and little things in your life.
Gratitude is one of the most powerful tools to feeling peace and happiness. And it is right there for you, ready to be used, every day, all day. But it’s so easy to get caught up in the stresses of our daily lives that we forget about our ability to reframe our outlook. We often defer to old thought patterns that say “I’ll be more grateful when things get better and I feel happier.” But the truth is that it is typically the other way around: when you choose to appreciate the good things in your everyday life right now, you will begin to feel happier. It’s actually the path to getting more out of life. Let’s explore a little more about why we should put it to use.
THE BENEFITS OF GRATITUDE
The Power of Gratitude is pretty amazing, and is a primary path to peace and happiness! We know there are benefits for our well-being. But when you dig into the research, it’s fascinating how it can actually improve your brain functioning, even releasing dopamine (the “happiness” chemical). When you “count your blessings” and appreciate both the big and very little things, you are training your brain what to focus on. You are choosing to focus on the positive. And your brain rewards you for this with those “happiness” chemicals. The more you do this, the more your brain will seek out the positive. It has been proven in so many studies to reduce your stress levels. In one study in particular (“Counting Blessings Versus Burdens” in 2003 by Emmons and McCullough), keeping a gratitude journal was shown to have benefits that included a greater sense of well-being, improved sleep, and an improved ability to handle change!
EASY WAYS TO PRACTICE GRATITUDE
Now that we’ve covered why we should practice gratitude, let’s chat about how to practice gratitude. Here are six simple gratitude practices that are easy ways to incorporate gratitude into your daily life.
Intentionally go on a “happiness hunt.” Look for the beauty in little things, like flowers on your walk, or the sunshine, or anything that defines beauty for you.
Take some time to think about your favorite songs, books, and other art. Be aware of how thinking about those things makes you feel and allow yourself to give thanks for their creation.
Send a text to a friend to let them know how much their friendship means to you. If you have time, send three texts and spread even more gratitude and love.
Be kind to strangers today. Hold open doors. Give compliments.
If you don’t have time to commit to a new morning routine, just make the mental switch to give thanks and create thoughts of gratitude when you wake up. You could say a quick prayer of thanks or just say expressions of gratitude in your mind for the start of a new day and the good things in your life.
Start that gratitude journal. Yes, there is a great benefit to doing this in the morning before life starts to busy your mind. But depending upon your stage in life, the morning commitment can actually just be another stressor on your list of things to do. So just move it to a time that works best. Find five minutes (or even just two!), and write a short list, usually 3 things that you are grateful for that day.
“Appreciate everything, even the ordinary. Especially the ordinary.” Pema Chodron
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