The Importance of Practicing Gratitude and How to Do It
We all have so much to be thankful for.
I'm thankful for my health, my family and friends, my husband, a roof over our heads, the ability to pay for groceries, sleep, my career, my passions, our healthcare workers, first responders, community, Jesus’s love, and the list goes on and on. Lots and lots to be grateful for, am I right? I would be lying if I didn’t say I wished we were sitting across from one another, enjoying a cup of coffee with my favorite creamer together so I could hear about what you’re grateful for in this moment. So, as you read this, imagine that’s what we are doing :)
Research has shown that practicing some form of gratitude, such as writing a letter of gratitude or donating to charity, is connected to the learning and decision making part of our brain, possibly making us more sensitive and aware of how we express gratitude. The art of practicing gratitude has a profound impact on how we see the world, our relationships, and how we handle each day. It fills up our cups and increases our desire for contentment and hope. It also adds to our thought patterns and perspectives. Studies are suggesting that practicing gratitude plays a major role in our overall mental health, an area we all need a little extra help with these days.
Gratitude Benefits
Increases and Improves –
Joy
Relationships
Connections to people
Optimism
Resilience to stress
Hope
Immune function
Generosity and wanting to help
Pleasure
Reduces and mitigates –
Stress
Worry
Anger
Frustration
Loneliness
Isolation
Depression
Anxiety
Toxic thoughts and words
Negative thought patterns
Practicing gratitude helps you to re-frame your mind and to take a fresh look at things the more you do it. Expressing gratitude is a beautiful practice because it is contagious, much like a smile. Practicing gratitude is like tossing a stone into the water and seeing the ripple effect – it not only impacts you but those around you.
One of the coolest things about establishing a gratitude practice – you don’t have to share it to receive the benefits and you get to make it your own thing. As helpful as keeping a gratitude journal can be, it isn’t the only way to dive into cultivating more gratitude. You get to build your own practice!
Ways to Practice Gratitude
Notice the things around you
Touch, smell and feel them. Take a moment to think, write, or say why you’re grateful for these things.
Be mindful of the good around you
The kindness of a friend, the tree outside your window, the snuggles from your dog, the laugh of your children, the trail you love to walk. The list is endless. Take a moment to express gratitude for them.
Really say “thank you”
It’s so easy to say thank you because that’s what we’ve been taught to do since we were a child. It’s instinct now but in some ways was truer then than now as it has become almost robotic. By thinking about why you’re saying thank you, digging deep into why you are grateful, you are slowing down and cherishing the joy in the here and now.
Bonus – flashing those pearly whites adds to the gratitude bit and will make the person(s) on the receiving end feel a little more appreciated.
Write in a gratitude journal
Take a moment to write out 3 or more things you are grateful for. Do it as part of your morning routine, when you unwind for the evening, or anytime throughout the day. My husband and I write 3-5 things we are grateful for once we’ve crawled into bed. I wanted to make it a habit and before I realized it, six months have flown by and we are still going strong. I have found that gratitude journaling at night helps relax my body and calm my thoughts before sleep. No matter how crummy the day, I come back to a place of peace and hope, instead of a place of stress, after writing in our gratitude journal.
Celebrate the little things
It’s easy to celebrate big moments like graduations, weddings, and birthdays, but we tend to give little notice to the little things until they’re all but forgotten. Give thanks for the meal you’ve prepared or for the person who cooked it for you, for the mailman’s care of your letters, for the sound sleep you had, for the ability to go for a walk, etc. As you can see, there is so much we can be grateful for every single day.
Share your love with those you love and with your community
Hug your mom a little tighter, tell your best friend you’re grateful for her/ him, give thanks when you receive a call or a text, soak in the playtime with loved ones, tell your grocer you’re grateful for their help, share the love for your community garden with others, and so on. Human connection alone is something to be grateful for.
Spread love through social media platforms
We all need more love and joy and uplifting things in our life. Find a good book? Share it. Visit a lovely coffee shop? Share it. Enjoy a nice walk at a park near you? Share it. Come across a loving quote or reminder? Share it. You’ll bring joy to others and to yourself by sharing good through social media. If, however, you do not have a healthy relationship with social media, I suggest choosing another practice.
Stopping to smell the flowers
I hope one of these practices resonates with you. This isn’t the end-all, be-all list. If anything, it’s a starting point. It doesn’t need to be complicated or well thought out. It doesn’t need to happen at a certain time or in a certain place. Practicing gratitude simply requires you to be mindful for a moment so you can think and then, in turn, thank.
You + a moment to slow down + gratitude practice = more joy, peace, and light in your life.
One last thing. Gratitude practice takes time. The more you express gratitude over time, the more you’ll reap the benefits. Practicing gratitude may come to you with ease or it might take some intentionality on your part to get into it. You will need to prioritize it, but I have a hunch you won’t find that a challenge to do once you find a practice that fits your lifestyle. One thing I know for certain – it won’t hurt to try it out!
More research needs to be done, but studies suggest that practicing gratitude has lasting impacts on the brain, which can lead to improved mental health. Mmm, I like the sound of that, don’t you? I can tell you that practicing gratitude in my life has made me a more thankful, empathetic, and compassionate person. Did I mention it’s been fun to practice gratitude (‘cause it is!)? I have cultivated a desire to be more open to outwardly pouring my love, too, which has been life-giving and deeply impactful for me.
Did I mention it’s been fun to take a moment to be grateful?
And with that, I’d like to leave you with a few beautifully written words by mindful.org –
Much of our time and energy is spent pursuing things we currently don’t have. Gratitude reverses our priorities to help us appreciate the people and things we do (Brown and Wong, 2017).
Bloom where you are planted.
Sources:
Brown, J. & Wong, J. 2017. How Gratitude Changes You and Your Brain. Retrieved from https://www.mindful.org/gratitude-changes-brain/
Khorrami, N. 2019. Four Ways to Wire Your Brain for Gratitude. Retrieved from https://www.mindful.org/four-ways-to-wire-your-brain-for-gratitude/.
Kini P, Wong J, McInnis S, Gabana N, Brown JW. The effects of gratitude expression on neural activity. Neuroimage. 2016 Mar;128:1-10. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2015.12.040. Epub 2015 Dec 30. PMID: 26746580.
Kyeong S, Kim J, Kim DJ, Kim HE, Kim JJ. Effects of gratitude meditation on neural network functional connectivity and brain-heart coupling. Sci Rep. 2017 Jul 11;7(1):5058. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-05520-9. PMID: 28698643; PMCID: PMC5506019.