5 Easy Ways to Practice Gratitude

Tomorrow millions of people will be visiting family, enjoying delicious food, and (hopefully) spending some time reflecting on what they’re grateful for. Taking time to be grateful isn’t just something that’s nice to do once a year – it can actually make you healthier. According to Melinda Beck of the Wall Street Journal grateful adults “have more energy, more optimism, more social connections, and more happiness” than less grateful folks. In fact, numerous studies point to a link between gratitude and improved health.

So what is gratitude? Gratitude is the ability to see and appreciate the good in the world. It’s looking at your life and experiences as gifts that you should be thankful for. This may sound a lot like optimism but while optimism simply expects good things to happen, gratitude recognizes that the wonderful things happening depend not just on our actions but also on the efforts of others or general serendipity.

Wondering what you can do to implement a gratitude practice in your life? Here’s five tips to help you get started:

1. Set aside time each day to reflect on the good in your life.

There are a million ways to practice gratitude. Some folks keep a gratitude journal, some meditate, some start their day off by thinking of at least three things they are currently thankful for. Personally, I like to think of the things I’m grateful for walking our pup in the mornings. The trick is to pick something that works for you.  Make sure it’s maintainable and maintainable. Need some ideas on how to get started? Check out this list of 31 gratitude exercises from the Positive Psychology Program.

2. Think small.

Don’t focus only on big things like family, finances, or achievements. Get excited for the little things too! Little moments (like your husband unloading the dishwasher or your dog greeting you when you arrive home from work with the cutest little tail wag) provide you with multiple opportunities to practice gratitude throughout the day.

3. Give back.

Volunteering has been proven to boost your mood and is “highly likely to increase your own gratitude” according to Jo-Ann Tsang, Ph.D. in a 2012 Women’s Health article. Need a list of current volunteer opportunities? Visit Volunteermatch.org for local and virtual volunteer opportunities based on your interests.

4. Surround yourself with thankful people.

The people we choose to spend our time with have a huge impact on our lives. There’s even an old saying: “Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are.” Spending time with thankful people will support your new practice simply by providing you with continuous reminders and positive mirroring.

5. Send thank you notes.

Writing down what you’re thankful for can increase your feelings of gratitude, but that doesn’t mean you have to rush out and get a fancy new journal. Sending thank you notes is a great way to tie your new gratitude practice with the physical action of writing which helps solidify your practice into habit.

How do you practice gratitude? Share your tips below!

xoxo,

Kate