Can gratitude really change my attitude?
Short answer: Yes.
While we all probably know this is true, we often find reasons to bypass things like "counting our blessings" or creating a gratitude list. We can be our own biggest hurdle to living a more fruitful life. Rather than letting negativity and criticism have the biggest piece of our minds, why not use gratitude as a remedy?
There are numerous health benefits to incorporating a practice of gratitude into your life. Gratitude may help reduce depression, relieve stress, support cardiovascular health, reduce anxiety, and enhance sleep. Sign me up for those benefits!
One study found that cultivating a gratitude practice even has a positive effect months after engaging in a gratitude exercise.
Often, the starting point for cultivating a practice, rhythm, and lifestyle of gratitude begins with simply noticing. I am not asking you to white-knuckle your way to being grateful. Shaming or heaping guilt on yourself to be grateful will not get you very far. Start small. Start by noticing. Take inventory throughout the day of what makes you smile, warms your heart, or fills you with joy.
As we gather gratitude, we are not limited to the big things ("I am surrounded by people who love and care for me."), but we can name the small things too ("The breeze on my walk this morning").
A few ways to incorporate gratitude in your day
- Before leaving your bed in the morning, think of five things you are grateful for. You enter the day with a mindful practice of gratitude regardless of what the rest of the day holds.
- Set a reminder on your phone to pause and ponder what you are grateful for. Bonus points: include whoever you're with in the practice.
- Keep a journal and record what you are grateful for.
- Express gratitude with others: send a text, email, or card sharing why you are grateful for them.
- Hang a corkboard or dry-erase board, or use your fridge as a Gratitude Board. Invite your family or guests to add to it.
I can hear people saying, "But you don't know my circumstances or the day I just had." You are right, I don't! Some days the best we can pen or utter out is, "I'm grateful today is over, and tomorrow is a new day." One of my personal favorite end-of-day journal prompts is listing three things I am grateful for and one thing I am lamenting. This prompt acknowledges the good and the bad while giving more space for gratitude.
There is something to be grateful for in every day if only we will stop, notice, and name it. Gratitude has the potential of strengthening our minds, our bodies, and our relationships. The more you practice, the easier it gets.
