ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE
A Journey to Finding Gratitude
I don’t remember the exact moment I was introduced to gratitude, but it has been a part of my life for the last 8 years. When I was in treatment I was told to start writing gratitude lists. At the time it felt absurd to write what I was grateful for because I wasn’t grateful for much, so they began very generic, but the more I examined my life, despite how I was feeling, I started to realize I had a lot to be grateful for and my lists began to become more meaningful.
Practicing gratitude is vital part of my physical, mental, and spiritual health. I write one now every day. Putting forth the effort and intention of expressing gratitude can improve mood, mental health, and even extends to adjusting your overall outlook on life. Being in-tune with your body and making the conscious decision to be grateful will not only lead to a decrease in negative emotions, like jealousy and resentment, but it is also proven to result in an increase in energy, enthusiasm, and overall happiness. For many people, it is not a matter of not WANTING to practice gratitude, but rather a lack of knowing where to start to change your mindset.
Begin your Gratitude Journey with these 5 questions:
Health: What did your body do for you today?
Eat: What did you feed your body to nourish yourself today?
Activity: What did you enjoy doing today?
Relationship: With whom do you look forward to connecting?
Time: What are you doing right now?
Incorporating gratitude into your daily routine through practices such as answering the above 5 questions, keeping a gratitude journal, expressing thanks to others, or simply taking a moment to reflect on the good things in your life can lead to profound and lasting benefits for your overall well-being.
Practicing gratitude has been proven to increase mental health, enhance relationships, better your physical health, increase resilience, and overall give you a greater sense of satisfaction with life.
In terms of mental health, gratitude has been linked to increased happiness and reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety. Focusing on what you’re thankful for can shift your mindset away from negative thoughts and promote a more positive outlook on life. Whatever your mind is occupied with, you become. The more you let yourself simmer with jealousy, bitterness, and hatred, the more you become a jealous, bitter, and hateful person. Take the time to breathe through life’s challenges, and then let them go. Whenever you feel yourself being drowned with negative thoughts, make the conscious decision to wrap them up, set them aside, and replace them with 3 things you are grateful for.
When you acknowledge and appreciate the actions and offerings of those around you, it strengthens your relationships. Next time you find yourself frustrated with your mom or annoyed with your best friend, take a moment to reflect on what you value in your relationship with them or remember the last time they did something kind for you. It is easy to speak out of anger in a heated moment, but you may find that learning how to hold your tongue is far more valuable than the momentary satisfaction of letting your anger speak.
Have you ever been so upset it felt like your blood was boiling? Been so angry you couldn’t sleep at night? Research suggests that grateful individuals may experience better physical health outcomes, such as lower blood pressure, improved immune function, and better sleep quality. Gratitude practices may also encourage healthier lifestyle choices, such as regular exercise and a balanced diet. Try this exercise: Look at yourself in the mirror, smile, and say this mantra: “I am loving, I am beautiful, I am kind, I am worthy of the love I give.” When you practice being grateful for your body, you love it the way you are supposed to with foods that make you feel good and exercises that make you feel excited to be alive.
Practicing gratitude is about shifting your mindset to focus on the positives in each situation and remind yourself what's really important in life. You will learn how to value your relationships to the fullest, find the successes in every failure, and let go of what no longer serves you. Finding and practicing gratitude is a life-long journey, but the sooner you start the sooner you can reap its benefits. It’s easy to let your mind be clouded with negative and disappointing thoughts, but the more time you dedicate to finding gratitude the more you will find yourself enjoying the small things in life. By the end of your journey, you might just find that the small joys were the best part.
Want to start your own everyday gratitude practice? Use the free worksheet below.