We have so much for which to be grateful. We can always find something, no matter how difficult our lives might be. Research finds that practicing gratitude daily leads to better quality sleep, increased immunity, a calmer perspective, as well as a healthier heart. From a psychological perspective, gratitude has been found to help people overcome trauma and improve mental resilience, even in difficult times. Understanding that gratitude affects us in so many positive, amazing ways, it's hard to make an argument against not practicing. So how can we cultivate a practice of gratitude? Here are 7 suggestions:
1) Set your intention to stay mindful to all the moments in your life. Remain present as often as you can. Consider all that is around you - the gadgets and conveniences that many of us have and all the extra time they provide for us. For example, I am so thankful for the dishwasher. When I am loading or unloading, I sometimes think about the amount of time I’m saving from not having to wash and dry every dish. I take a breath and smile my appreciation for this experience. Other examples include having a washing machine, a refrigerator, or even indoor plumbing.
2) Tune into your body as you feel thankful for something or someone. Observe the impact it has on your body if you can. Take note of this feeling as you can always come back to it. Some studies suggest that it takes nearly 12 seconds for a positive emotion to register in our brains (3-4 seconds for negative emotions, btw), so let the feeling draw out a bit.
3) Watch out for feelings of unworthiness or thoughts that you might not “deserve” something beautiful for which you are grateful. The question of whether we or anyone else deserve something is not really in our jurisdiction. Let that go and know that it’s okay to move into gratitude.
4) Let go of attachments. Anything for which I am immensely grateful for, I may fear losing at times. Everything is transitory, yet we can offer our full thanks even if it’s gone tomorrow. Stay in the present moment.
5) Keep a gratitude log. Write down 5 things/people/situations for which you are grateful each day. If you miss a day, just work on letting it be. Practice when you can and keep the log near you. You could always just keep it in your phone as we all seem to be near our phones in most moments. Alternatively, you can buy a beautiful notebook and use a page a day.
6) In times of difficulty, it can be tough to even feel the experience of gratitude. There have been times when I have written down my 5 things in my journal and I am struggling to access the feeling involved in that moment. That is okay. When we go through times of trauma and struggle, we can feel numb or too overwhelmed with other emotions to feel gratitude fully. Remember that the practice matters on a deeper level. You may not fully feel gratitude, but the habit will remain; this will offer incredible resiliency for the tough aspects of life. When we move through our pain, we set our emotions in motion.
7) One of the most difficult things with which we all struggle with is being grateful for ourselves. Don’t forget to offer gratitude for yourself – both your body and your mind. We tend to focus all our gratitude externally. Our bodies can be frustrating, and they require so much maintenance and so much attention while it continues to need sleep, eat, use the restroom, and address emotions that move around and through our body at very inconvenient times. Meanwhile, our minds can move so quickly with such rapid thoughts, it can feel totally overwhelming at times. At the same time, the abilities of our mind and body and how so many functions do work automatically in amazing ways. If there is something not working in your mind or body, do your best to acknowledge and give gratitude for what is working.
Cultivating a practice of gratitude will benefit you throughout your entire life. It is a mindset and a remembering of our gifts, our joys, the beauty that lives all around us, even in the dark times of sorrow.