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What is gratitude?
Gratitude is a positive emotion.
This feeling is born from the gratitude you feel for various things in your life.
They can be large, such as important relationships or acts of kindness, or they can be small, such as the smell of fresh coffee or the view from the kitchen window on a sunny day.
Gratitude is a complex emotion and to experience it deeply requires three elements: 1. you must acknowledge something you are grateful for 2. you must accept that you are grateful for it 3. you must express that gratitude. It’s not difficult to master the art of gratifying, but before we explore the ways in which this powerful emotion can be cultivated, let’s start with the “why”.
Science has proven it and the benefits are clear: gratitude does us good. It strengthens our immune system, stimulates our relationships, improves our mood, helps us sleep better and makes us feel active and alive.
Neuroscience shows that when the brain feels grateful, specific parts of it are activated, including neurons in the abdominal and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex. These sections relate to interpersonal relationships, positive social interactions, and the ability to understand what other people are thinking and feeling.
The brain also creates a wave of chemicals that positively affect a person’s mood, such as serotonin, oxytocin and dopamine. The gray matter, activated by the wave of hormones, helps to create feelings of closeness, connection and happiness.
How to Start an Effective Gratitude Practice
The key to any effective daily practice is consistency, so it is important to find what works for you. From meditation to diary and personal reflection to writing thank you letters, there are many options for experimenting and discovering the best way for your brain to experience gratitude. Let’s explore some of these options:
Start a Gratitude Diary A
Gratitude Diary is a great way to cultivate feelings of appreciation, as you focus on them at least once a day.
Do a daily meditation
There are many meditations that focus on the topic of gratitude, so find one that suits you and dedicate yourself to it for 40 days. These meditations usually focus on breathing and take you on a guided journey to cultivate feelings of gratitude.
Write a handwritten thank-you letter
Every day in book 365 Thank You: The Year a Simple Act of Gratitude Changed My Life, John Kralik shares how, in a time of personal crisis, he decided to write a daily thank-you letter. This practice completely changed his life.
If sending a daily thank you letter sounds scary to you, you will be glad to know that you are reaping many benefits even with the simple process of writing it. Even if you do not send your message, writing it will start to change your thoughts in a more positive way. But, if you eventually transcend yourself and send this letter, you may be pleasantly surprised by the positive effect it has on others.
Incorporate gratitude rituals into your daily routine It’s a great way to incorporate gratitude into your daily routine. It can be something as simple as a positive suggestion, a prayer before a meal, or writing down three things you are grateful for before going to bed each night. Simple rituals are often more effective, so do not look for something complicated. The important thing is to be consistent and find something that you can easily put into your day.
It is impossible to feel gratitude and negativity at the same time, because gratitude gradually eliminates the darkest emotions. If you are choking on a negative thought, try to focus on something that, in this situation, makes you feel grateful. This helps to break the cycle and as soon as the seed of gratitude is planted, it begins to grow on its own, creating more positive emotions and reconnecting the patterns of your thinking.
Getting started…
Some tips for your daily gratitude practice:
Try to do your practice at the same time every day. Routine helps you maintain consistency and consistency is the key to making the most of your gratitude habit. If you can do your practice in the morning, even better, as this will help you not to miss a single day because you are tired or do not have time.
Try linking this new habit to an existing one. Habits are “built” and one of the best ways to succeed when developing a new habit is to attach it to an existing one. If you had a ritual to drink your morning coffee before work, try the practice of gratitude with the last sips of your coffee. Or immediately after brushing your teeth at night. Find what works for you, but use an existing habit to help you get started.
Focus on experiences instead of things.
Research shows that feeling grateful is more effective when it comes to experiences rather than material things. This may be due in part to the fact that experiences, unlike material goods, are unlikely to make comparisons. It may also be due to the fact that experiences tend to intertwine human connection. Whatever the reason, make a conscious effort to focus on experiences for which you are grateful. This will give you more long term happiness and satisfaction. Be polite to yourself. Establishing any regular practice or habit may require some effort.
Be kind to yourself as you add this element to your life and do not let this new practice become a source of guilt. Guilt is energy inhibiting and does not help. Instead, congratulate yourself on your sincere efforts and work to become even more consistent.
The benefits of gratitude may take some time to manifest, but they work cumulatively over time. Start today and watch your positive thoughts grow and grow.
