Making gratitude a daily habit can help to retrain our minds and help us to be grateful for even the smallest things in life. It can help to refocus on the things that we have, not on what may be lacking in our lives. And of course, spreading your gratitude and positivity will have a ripple effect to those around us. The more we practice gratitude, the stronger our mental state will be.
There are many definitions of gratitude. Some define it as an emotion, some as a personality trait; some define it as both. Many experts frame gratitude as a practice—an action we take as an expression of loving kindness. Others frame it as recognizing and mindfully appreciating the gifts given to us in our lives.
Why is being grateful important?
Creating a habit of cultivating gratitude shifts your mindset toward the good things in your life—you automatically start looking for them, and see them more clearly and immediately. Cultivating a gratitude practice reduces the stress and physiological indicators of stress. Expressing gratitude can also increase feelings of happiness and satisfaction in life. To put it simply: grateful people live happier lives.
Tips on being more grateful:
You can practice gratitude by acknowledging what you are grateful for in your own life in a gratitude journal, in prayer, or in a meditation practice. But gratitude is most powerful when it’s practiced in a collective social sphere as well. Telling a friend that you’re grateful for something kind they did for you, or that you’re grateful for your friendship, can make you feel warm, sincere feelings toward them, but can also make them feel deeply appreciated and strengthen your bond.
Here are some ways you can practice gratitude:
- Start each day by thinking about something you’re grateful for first thing in the morning.
- Set a daily reminder on your phone to mentally list something you’re grateful for at that moment.
- Write a letter to a friend expressing gratitude for something they did for you recently, even if it was just a routine hangout.
- Keep a gratitude journal. Make a list of 1-5 things, even small things, that you feel grateful for today. There are likely things all around you that you may take for granted. They can be things like your health, your home, your friends or family, your comfy bed, the smell of coffee (see below for some example journal prompts for gratitude).
- Tell someone thank you for something once a day.
Journal prompts for gratitude:
- Think back to where and who you were 5 years ago. Write down the positive changes that have occurred during this time.
- How can you open up to new ways of doing things?
- The mindset I wish to create today is…
- What inspires you the most?
- What challenged you today that you can grow from?
- What would you do today, if it were your last?
- What are you most grateful for today?
- What new behaviours can you adopt into your life?
- What is one thing you can do today in order to make the biggest impact in your life?
- Who are you most grateful for today? Write them a thank you letter.
