The Power of Gratitude
It’s that time of year.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner: a time to count our blessings, surround ourselves with close family and friends, and remind ourselves of all we’ve got to be thankful for. It’s easy to take for granted the simple gifts and pleasures of life, but taking the time to recognize them can be truly powerful. In fact, the power of gratitude has a number of positive healing effects.
Benefits of practicing gratitude:
According to this article, studies have shown that practicing gratitude is associated with:
Greater happiness.
Better health.
Fewer aches and pains.
Improved self-esteem.
Increased generosity and empathy.
More optimism.
The benefits of gratitude are bountiful, and there is no true downside to practicing it. It can be challenging and awkward to practice this new habit as you reflect on what matters to you and who you surround yourself with, so we’re here to help guide you with gratitude practice.
Reframe Negative Thoughts
When you start to say things to yourself such as, “Today is going to be so hard,” or “You can’t handle this,” try reframing your thoughts positively. Tell yourself, “today, I am going to do the best I can,” or, “I can do anything I set my mind to.” This re-shaping of the thoughts inside your head will feed into positive energy, and you will feel better by quieting the criticism.
Express Gratitude
Expressing your gratitude to others will help you to feel more grateful, too. Small gestures like thanking a co-worker for their hard work or thanking a loved one for their recent support all tap into helping you feel grateful, and those you engage with will feel it, too.
Practice makes perfect.
It’s okay to feel like it’s difficult to practice gratitude. Your life may be stuck in a routine you don’t remember signing up for, and now it’s hard to step back and truly recognize your feelings. Slowing down and being present in a certain moment of time may allow you to truly see what it is that brings you to a feeling of serenity and graciousness.
Try this at home!
Here are some ideas to help you cultivate gratitude:
Write a thank you note. You can help nourish your relationship with somebody by writing them a thank-you letter and expressing your appreciation.
Write a thank you note to yourself! Every once in awhile, it’s nice to thank yourself for all that you’ve done recently. Maybe you got through another round of treatment, or have had more energy to spend time with family. Thank yourself for all that you are able to do.
Keep a gratitude journal. Make a habit to tap into the gifts you’ve received that day. Or, make a habit to give thanks each morning for a new day and what you’re excited about.
Pray. Prayer helps cultivate gratitude.
Meditate. Meditation and mindfulness can help you to focus on the present moment.
Write it down:
Writing not only helps to accept your experiences and contextualize them in your life, but it also helps to deepen the emotional impact between yourself and your thoughts. When you write down your thoughts, feelings and attitudes, you can understand and analyze them more clearly. Additionally, those struggling with stress, depression or anxiety may find that writing down their life events helps to gain control over their emotions.
It can seem daunting to sit down with a pen and paper and release the inner mind, but practicing journaling for as little as 10 minutes per day can help to declutter the mind, express your emotions freely, and help you release feelings you aren’t even sure you’re harboring.
Here are some gratitude journaling prompts to get you writing, or even simply thinking about:
I’m grateful for my sense of ____, which allows me to ____.
Write letters of gratitude to people who’ve profoundly changed your life through their support, encouragement, love, and belief in you.
I’m grateful for my ability to ____.
Write about an opportunity you had to help others and how that impacted your life.
I’m grateful my _____ feels better.
Write about archetypal figures in your life (the characters of your life story). Think about who fits each role and a story or memory that makes you believe this:
The Shaman – the figure that taught you about spirituality (not always religion)
The Saint – The person you can count on to always choose to do the right thing.
The Shephard – Someone who’s always watching out for you, keeping you on the right path, and monitoring your safety.
Write about your work environment. What aspects are you happy about?
Write about a place you love to visit (in your home, town, travel, any place at all), describing how you feel when you are there
I’m grateful for ______ in my life.
Interested even more in all that gratitude journaling has to offer? Going Beyond the Pink offers a Gratitude Journaling Workshop for those who are hungry for more. Explore more benefits, writing topics, and connect with others at our next workshop!