Practice Gratitude
Practice Gratitude
Could gratitude be the best medicine?
"We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures." -- Thornton Wilder
An attitude of gratitude can have far reaching benefits. It can shift our world view and improve our mood, Research even shows connections to health benefits like better sleep habits, lower blood pressure, and boosting our immune system.
But, how can we cultivate gratitude in our lives? The truth is, we all face daily challenges that make it difficult to shift our focus away from the challenges and toward all we have to be grateful for. The key is practice. Like any skill, the more we practice, the better we get at it. Below are 3 ways you can begin to re-focus your brain and heart toward gratefulness.
3 Ways to Strengthen Your Attitude of Gratitude
1. Begin your day with a meditation focused on gratitude. I love this video, created by Kylie Lewis, a Rockford native and creator of the podcast "Coming Clean." Her voice is so quiet, warm, and comfortable as she encourages you to take just 5 minutes to start your day with a grateful heart.
Kylie Lewis - 5 Minute Guided Meditation: Gratitude and Confidence
2. Begin a Gratitude Journal. No need to buy a fancy journal to record your reflections on the people, pets, events, and circumstances that you are grateful for. A simple spiral notebook will do the job. (But feel free to decorate it, glue pictures in it, or draw on it to make it special to you, if you're inclined toward that.) There is no one right way to keep your journal--the important thing is to establish a habit of paying attention to and reflecting on the good things in life. To get the most out of your journal experience, here are some tips from Greater Good Magazine (click here to read the full article):
Don't just go through the motions. The best results come from beginning this exercise with making the conscious decision to become a happier and more grateful person.
Go deep. Write in detail about what you're grateful for, rather than just bullet points.
Get personal. Focusing on the people you're grateful for tends to have more impact on your gratefulness, than focusing on things.
Try subtraction, not just addition. In other words, reflect on what your life would be like WITHOUT the person/item/circumstance in your life.
Savor surprises. Surprising moments tend to yield stronger levels of gratefulness.
Don't overdo it. There is no need to write every day. In fact, studies showed people who wrote in their journals just once per week reported boosts in happiness.
To borrow a tag line: JUST DO IT.
3. Start a Gratitude Jar. Writing down what you're grateful for is more powerful than just thinking about it. It is a concrete reminder of all the good things in your life. Gratitude jars work because they are fast, easy and free. What you need:
A glass jar or empty coffee can. You can use any empty container you have around the house.
A writing utensil (pen, pencil, or marker)
Slips of paper
Keep the jar in a prominent place in your home (kitchen, laundry room, etc) and set a small goal to write down 1 thing you're grateful for each day, any time of the day that works for you. Encourage your whole family to participate. Just the sight of the growing slips of paper will serve as a visual reminder of the good things in life. And, when you're just having a rotten day...go ahead and pull a few slips out and read them aloud. It can be a powerful reminder of your wonderful life.
Sources and to learn more:
https://www.happierhuman.com/benefits-of-gratitude/
https://time.com/5026174/health-benefits-of-gratitude/
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tips_for_keeping_a_gratitude_journal
https://josierobinson.com/journal/gratitudenewyear
https://www.organicauthority.com/live-grow/how-to-practice-gratitude-jar