In our last blog, we talked about all of the different things gratitude does for us, from making us happier to boosting our physical health and supporting our relationships. If you’re sold on the idea of working a more thankful attitude into your life to reap those benefits, you might be wondering where to start. We’ve got you covered. Here, we outlined four simple ways to practice gratitude.
As a reminder, the main perks of gratitude develop over time. You can’t necessarily expect to do one short gratitude session and see major results. Instead, try to commit to working these habits into each day for at least a couple of weeks. Then, you can check back in and see how you feel.
Fortunately, these ways to practice gratitude are quick and easy, so sticking with it shouldn’t be too challenging. Ready to get started? Let’s jump in.
Keep a journal
One of the easiest ways to start resetting your brain to feel more gratefulness is to keep a gratitude journal. This doesn’t have to be sophisticated and you don’t need to buy anything to get started. You could keep your journal on a legal pad, sticky notes, or scrap paper you find.
The trick is to sit down and think through what you’re thankful for in your life. To start a practice, a lot of people find it helpful to list three things they appreciate each day. It could be something major, like your partner or your career, or it could be simple, like a tasty lunch you just enjoyed or the crisp fall weather.
Making time to journal each day builds the habit of looking for things that make you feel grateful as you go about your day. As you cultivate that awareness, you might be surprised just how many good things come into your sphere once you’re looking for them.
Leave yourself reminders
Here’s the thing: gratitude is just like any other habit. You have to stick with it to build it.
If you want to practice gratitude, set yourself up for success by leaving yourself reminders. That could be a post-it on your mirror that you’ll see each morning or a reminder in your phone that you set to go off each afternoon. It could be an item that you place on your desk that puts a smile on your face.
Ultimately, the goal here is to find ways to remind yourself to practice gratitude not just when you sit down to journal, but throughout your day.
Meditate
Meditation can be a powerful tool in creating the life you want, and that includes building a gratitude practice. By sitting mindfully, you give yourself space to reset your thinking and tap into thankfulness.
Headspace offers a free, 10-minute gratitude meditation that you can use to get started. There are also a ton of guided meditations on YouTube and Spotify. You don’t necessarily have to follow along with a meditation, though. Really, all you need to do is sit and spend some time focusing on your breath and the things that make you feel grateful.
Share your gratitude
Gratitude can help you shift your mindset and feel better mentally and physically. But a big part of its power stems from its ability to help us build healthy relationships.
As you develop your gratitude practice, don’t keep it to yourself. Make it a point to look for ways to share your thankfulness. It could be a simple but sincere thanks to your barista or someone who holds the door for you. Or it could be a more intentional outreach to a friend or family member to tell them what they mean to you.
When you keep your gratitude journal, you might notice recurring themes. If you continually feel grateful for certain people, get in touch with them. This doesn’t have to be a cheesy display or something that feels awkward or inauthentic to you. But saying thanks to the friend who’s always there for you or the mentor who’s helping you find your footing at work does two things. First, it helps you to develop your gratitude practice further. And secondly, it lets someone know that they’ve had a positive impact on you, which will probably put a smile on their face.
All told, as you practice gratitude, it might spill over into the lives of the people around you.
Gratitude does a lot for us, but it isn’t necessarily easy. If you’re struggling to find things for which you’re thankful or your gratitude practice leads you into a state of overwhelm searching for positives in your life, know that you don’t have to figure it out alone. Our team at the Ventura Counseling & Wellness Center can help you find your way through challenging thought patterns to develop a greater sense of peace and gratitude in your life. To learn more, contact us today.
