We all have a general idea of what gratitude is... saying thanks when someone does something nice for you, and saying what you're thankful for at Thanksgiving. Easy peasy, right? A Gratitude Practice is so much more than that.
Psychologist have been studying gratitude as a state of mind. The idea of a gratitude practice became more popularized through positive psychology, which is the realm of psychology that focuses on the positive strengths rather than focusing on what is abnormal.
A gratitude practice trains your brain to see the positive things all around you. It creates a habit of focusing and appreciating the good in life. Science shows that when you habitually focus on positive aspects of life, those areas of your life tend to become more significant.
The main idea here is what you put your attention on grows.
If you choose to put your attention on negative aspects of your life, expect to see more negative. If you choose to place your focus on the positive with a state of gratitude, the positive will grow.
How does optimism and gratitude differ? Optimism is a positive outlook for future outcomes, whereas gratitude is grounded in the now. Being grateful for your current state of being and surroundings.
Gratitude is part of a life orientation geared towards noticing and appreciating the positive in the world.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE
There are clinical studies showing that gratitude is tied to overall well-being. Want to feel happier about your life? Want to grow in difficult situations? Want to feel more alive? Increase your immune system? Have a strong community and support system? Practice gratitude.
The power of your thoughts is immense.
Those who have a gratitude practice showed a significantly lower risk to major depression, generalized anxiety, phobias, and addictions to nicotine, drugs, & alcohol. By practicing gratitude you can also improve your body image leading to greater sense of self worth.
Gratitude has been clinically shown to improve the state of well-being of those suffering from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and eating disorders. A study on Vietnam Veterans suffering from PTSD showed that veterans who practiced gratitude reported better daily functioning and less symptoms.
Fun Fact: Those who have negative thoughts before going to bed are shown to have impaired sleep and those who have thoughts of gratitude for the day had better overall sleep.
After becoming accustomed to a gratitude practice, it becomes a trait, a state of being where your view point and your brain function is geared toward noticing and appreciating the positive aspects of life. You no longer see all the little annoyances and instead see how abundant and magnificent life is. To me, that sounds like a pretty nice way to go through life.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT
There are many ways to create a gratitude practice. One proven way is by starting & consistently keeping a gratitude journal. Taking 5 mins to reflect on your day or your past day to notice things you are grateful for. Cant think of something? Were you able to walk, stand, dress yourself without pain, breathe, eat, sleep, talk? Do you have a roof over your head, clean clothes, a loved one, an income, access to a doctor, a kitchen, a bed, a car, functioning organs? We have a lot to be grateful in life.
BUILDING A HABIT. Sometimes these practices can be easily forgotten after a day or two. Building in a practice on top of other habitual things that you do daily is one of the best ways to form a habit. If sitting down and writing for 5 mins seems like- not your thing, make a practice during your commute to work or school or an errand, every day. During your commute, think of 3-5 things that happened the day before that you are grateful for. Find what works for you and your lifestyle.
When practicing, think about your last 24 hours and all of the things that happened. Try to think of specifics rather than: I am grateful for my family, I am grateful for my spouse, I am grateful for my job. After a few days, that feel pretty boring. You want to take notice of things that actually happened, not just general concepts.
For example, I am grateful that I was able to walk from my car to my office with ease. I am grateful that I could contact a friend to vent to when I was frustrated. I am grateful for my AC to keep me cool and comfortable when its hot outside. I am grateful for a challenging situation at work/home because it will help me grow. I am grateful that I woke up to sunshine. I am grateful I have internet access so I can read cool blogs that empower me. I am grateful that I have comfortable shoes to wear everyday. I am grateful that I can drink clean water.
After hearing the benefits of a gratitude journal over and over (and continuing to ignore them), I decided to really dive in last September after attending a program on forming healthy rituals. Almost every morning, after I sit down and eat my breakfast, I take 3-5 mins and write what I am grateful for that happened the day prior. I find that it also helps if you take 2-3 deep breaths and then start. Those breaths can help calm your nervous system and bring some mental clarity. This practice has definitely helped to guide my brain to see the good in life throughout the day, and its a fun way to start my day, thinking of positive things and how lucky I am to live the life I do.
Another really great way to build a habit is by sharing and accountability! Starting July 1st I am running a Gratitude Practice Challenge on social media to encourage you to look for the good in life and see how gratitude can shift your perspective and make a true positive change in your mindset.
At the end of the month I will send two lucky winners a special gratitude keychain from Your Joyologist!
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