Being in a state of deep gratitude doesn’t mean that you’re deluded from the realities of the world… it means that you continually choose to see things from the perspective of abundance + gratefulness.
At the time of writing this post, we’re approaching the 2023 holiday season, and I felt like there was no greater time than to speak about the gift of gratitude… the gift that keeps on giving and giving. I also wrote a post about the gift of self-love, which you can read here.
Rewiring the Brain with a Gratitude Practice
Our brain’s default function is to problem-solve, so it’s up to us to override this design with repetition through… a gratitude practice. That means we have to rewire how our brain makes connections to reap ALL of the beautiful benefits that gratitude offers.
A gratitude practice is simply making an intention each day to sit in gratitude through…
- meditation or prayer
- keeping a gratitude journal
- Or any other way/ method where you can find a moment of mindful reflection
It’s GOOD to feel GRATITUDE: The Health Benefits of Feeling Grateful
It objectively feels so good to feel good and grateful, but there’s scientific evidence to back the beautiful benefits of gratitude. According to UCLA Health, practicing gratitude (for 15 minutes per day, 5 days per week, for at least 6 weeks) can enhance mental wellness. UCLA Health also reviewed 70 studies with responses from 26,000 people and found an initial association between higher levels of gratitude and lower levels of depression.
Overall, Individuals who regularly practice gratitude tend to feel less depression and sadness, as well as a reduction in anxiety and chronic pain.
A deep sense of gratitude can also lead to improved sleep, mood and immunity
For highly stressed individuals, pausing during a moment of fight-or-flight panic to be grateful can cause physiological changes in your body that initiate the parasympathetic nervous system (the part that allows you to REST).
Other Benefits of Gratitude:
- It helps to create new friendships and relationships: A 2014 study found that thanking a new acquaintance made it more likely for that new acquaintance to want to seek an ongoing relationship with you.
- It reduces the temptation to compare yourself, improving self-esteem
- It helps you build resilience and work through trauma
5 Techniques for Practicing Gratitude
- Send a thank you letter or thank someone internally for something they’ve done for you
- Keep a gratitude journal, or make tracking gratitude an element of your existing journaling practice
- Pray, meditate or find meaning and silence how it makes sense to you
- (literally) count your blessings
- EXPRESS your gratitude to others: Feeling grateful is fantastic, but you don’t receive the full benefits of gratitude without also EXPRESSING it.
Click here for more GRATITUDE activities
Starting a Gratitude Journal
A gratitude journal can cause a significant drop in diastolic blood pressure and also drastically improve your sleep.
To keep a gratitude journal is incredibly simple and does not need to take up any significant part of your day.
Each day, as you near the time to go to bed, or wrap up your workday, write down 3 things you’re grateful for. Try to be specific, listing the particular people and interactions or moments you’re grateful for. Make an effort to list three different things each day.
Example: Thank you for the really kind barista who made my latte this morning. She took the time to connect with me and ask about my day when I was having a tough day.
Example: Thank you for the feeling of the sun on my face as I took my morning walk today.
5 Journal Prompts For Gratitude
1. Today I interacted with (X) , who I’m incredibly grateful for because (Y). (Write about this experience, the person, and the specifics of the interaction. Be specific about why you appreciate this person and this encounter)
2. This was a really challenging lesson in my life, but I’m grateful for what I learned from it…
3. Today the universe worked in my favour when this happened…
4. My favourite qualities about myself are my… (write down at least 5 qualities about you as a person you are grateful for)
5. The thing I’m most grateful for in my life that I often don’t give enough credit to is…
Download Your Free Guided Journal (Including 70 Prompts!)
This free guided journal and prompts guide allows you to start a regular journaling practice and gives you ideas for what to journal about when you don’t know what to explore. Download for free now.
Other Mindset Posts, Tips + Articles You’ll Love
Why a Growth Mindset Is Key to Entrepreneurship
Transforming Your Mindset With Gratitude
Motivational Quotes About Abundance and Passion
Why Mindset Is Your Most Important Tool
A Twist To Your Mindset + Self Care Routine
Setting Goals as a Creativepreneur
Share + Save This Article on Pinterest!
Questions? Comments? I'm all ears! Share your thoughts below...