Practicing Gratitude… Why Today is the Best Day to Start
4 key benefits of gratitude that lead to being more calm, feeling less defeated and finding more happiness
Gratitude can change every area of our lives. Having a gratitude practice every day puts us in a better mood and allows us to see things in a more positive light than we had before.
Gratitude practices can be relatively simple: from writing down 5 things we are grateful for everyday to taking a few minutes to, as Mr. Rogers once asked his audience to do — think of all the people who have helped us become who we are. We can also practice gratitude while walking, driving or in between our daily tasks.
Although gratitude has many different benefits, there are five that really stand out.
Gratitude Improves Relationships
When was the last time that we took time to be grateful for everything our parents, significant others, friends, or colleagues do for us?
We live in a fast paced culture and it’s easy to take advantage of everything that others do for us. It’s easy to overlook the small acts of kindness that others provide for us. Advice is met with a simple thank you and then we move on.
However, what if we really took the time to think about what others do for us? Our relationships could easily be improved by offering more encouraging words, taking time out to reciprocate actions, or just simply writing a thank you note.
Relish and Relive Good Experiences
Memories are more important than souvenirs and tend to last longer. The next time an important event happens, write down what was great about the event and what was most memorable. It will help to keep that event fresh in your mind, causing gratitude anytime you read that record or remember that event.
Gratitude also creates a record of things upcoming and things that have passed. It reminds us that life is good and time with others is precious. We have those memories and can treasure them even in the worst of times.
Rewires Your Brain for the Positive
What we give focus to, changes our thought patterns. When we choose to think of the things that we are grateful for, more good things come to mind. It rewires our brain to think in terms of positive not negative.
What we gives focus to also grows. When we focus on good, we start to see more good things. We increase the light by continuing in the practice of gratitude.
We start to see the good in everything. Even rough situations seem easier when we have an outlook of gratitude. We know the bad but can also see the good. We become a glass half full type of person.
Gratitude also helps us to become more resilient and to get through negative experiences. It trains us to look for the silver lining and lets the good shine though in each situation. When we can remember the good, it helps us to keep going and keep persevering.
Provides Relief When Dealing with Depression
Gratitude also helps us in the middle of storms like depression. Recognizing those in our lives that help and love us, and the things that we love and are grateful for, it makes a difference in our mental health.
Sometimes the best thing to do during depression is to journal. In that journal, it’s a good idea to set goals, write down what we are thankful for and what we notice.
While I would recognize that depression is a serious condition, I would also argue that any move to get out of that pit helps. Sometimes in the worst of my storms, making a list of the things people did to demonstrate love or any highlight of the day I had just had.
Conclusion
In the worst of the storms in my personal life, I have used gratitude as a tool. When I hated my job, I would remember the fact that I could pay my bills (and sometimes put a dent in my debt). When I dealt with depression, I would focus on highlights of the day. When the man I thought was the love of my life left me, I was able to be thankful for those still standing with me.
Today is the best day to start practicing gratitude regardless of the method you choose. The mood lift will be there as you start surveying the things that are going well. Relationships and positive memories will increase and grow as you realize how grateful you are and show that appreciation through words and actions.
Give it a try- practice gratitude for at least 10 minutes a day. If you don’t see any positive results, you can let the practice go after 30 days. However, if you’re seeing some positive results, keep going. It will change your life.
