I’m pretty sure you’ve been told to be thankful for what you have. And you’ve probably been told when things aren’t going so well. Being thankful and grateful isn’t easy in the middle of stress and chaos in our lives. I’m a full time caregiver to my mom who has dementia and I gotta tell you after having a day when she’s cursing, name calling, and wants to fight me, it can de difficult to see the silver lining. But gratitude is appreciating the good things in life…. and there ARE good things. Learning how to embrace gratitude can significantly boost your happiness. Being grateful offers a host of other benefits you’re probably not aware of, too. Let’s take a closer look at the concept, ways it can improve your life and how to practice it.
About Gratitude
There are many definitions of gratitude. Some people believe it’s a feeling or emotion. Others look at it as more of a mood. Still, some folks believe gratitude is a personality trait a person exhibits. All these can be correct. In general gratitude is the satisfaction and appreciation you have through feelings and actions. Even those of us who feel grateful on a regular basis through our glass-half-full-optimism can still gain by being grateful. Gratitude can be viewed as a practice or something you perform regularly. As with other practices, you’ll get better at demonstrating gratitude the more you work at it.
Benefits of Embracing Gratitude
There are many benefits of gratitude. Once you begin to understand them, chances are you’ll see why it’s so important to develop a grateful mindset. Gratitude can have a positive effect on both physical and mental health. Research has shown it to improve relaxation, sleep quality and energy levels. Being thankful for your blessings can enhance your emotional wellness. You’ll deal better in crisis situations and find you’re more resilient when you’re able to look on the bright side. This can contribute to better relationships, too. Appreciating the positives in life can simply make you and those around you feel happier.
Ways to Practice Gratitude
Recognizing your blessings may not come easily at first, but there are some ways to help make it a habit and a regular part of your routine. One of the most convenient and impactful methods for cultivating appreciation is through keeping a gratitude journal. In this practice, you’ll write down three things each day that you’re grateful for. Writing them down makes it easier to notice and forces you to recognize the good things. Also, making an effort to thank someone each day, for even the smallest thing, opens your eyes and heart to abundance. Giving back and doing good for others can provide tremendous perspective, as well.
Now you have a better idea of just what making an effort to count your blessings can do for your life. Embracing and expressing gratitude are more important than many of us realize.
Five Reasons to Keep a Gratitude Journal
Keeping a gratitude journal is an increasingly popular tool used by those seeking to improve themselves. As a full time caregiver to my mom who has dementia, keeping a gratitude journal has help me to not only record experiences to look back on later but to keep things in prospective and remember what’s important.
Five reasons to keep a gratitude journal are:
- Changing Thought Patterns: studies have shown a strong mind-body connection. When we are feeling stressed, anxious or another negative emotion it can have a negative effect on our physical health. By considering those things, events or people we are thankful for we are creating positive thoughts and feelings which will help reduce stress levels. It will also remind us that whatever happens there is always something to feel thankful for. Another way your thought patterns will change is that you will find that you start pushing boundaries and removing limiting beliefs. This will happen as you not only keep your gratitude journal but also review it. You will find that your mind opens to new possibilities and you gain in self-confidence and knowledge.
- Improve Your Health: by focusing on positive thoughts and feelings in your gratitude journal you are helping to improve your physical and mental health. Studies have shown that regular gratitude journaling can: improve sleep, gain perspective on what’s import and and relieve stress and anxiety
- Create Optimism: some days it’s just too hard to see the forest for the trees. You’ll find yourself focusing on something that has upset you and that thought will nag at you constantly. Taking some time to sit quietly and think about something you are grateful for will help reduce the negative thoughts and feelings and replace them with positive ones.
- Improved Sleep: regardless of whether you feel the need for eight hours sleep each night, your body and mind require a regular amount of sleep each night for optimal mental and physical health. Keeping a gratitude journal is fun, calming and a positive activity that promotes happy thoughts and feelings. By replacing worry and stress, you can sleep more peacefully and have happier dreams.
It’s Fun: keeping a gratitude journal should be a fun enjoyable experience; something you look forward to. It doesn’t matter whether you use a plain notebook or a really fancy one. So grab some color pens or pencils and get writing.
Your commitment to your gratitude journal refocuses your mind on positive events, conversations and relationships. This enables you to see more than just those negative ones that tend to fill your mind and dominate your thoughts when they happen.
“Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow ” -Melody Beattie