PRACTICING GRATITUDE DAILY

One of the keys to living a happy and fulfilling life is the ability to practice gratitude as often as possible. Although this might seem rather simple, it has incredible effects on one’s mental and psychological health. It is also effective in counteracting the negatives that one faces daily, as well as boosting relationships & interactions with others. In this article, we explore some simple tricks to help you practice gratitude daily. 

LIVE IN THE MOMENT

The next time someone gives you a compliment or does a kind gesture towards you, take some more time to really experience gratitude. Don’t just rush to say “thank you” and move on to the next interaction. Clear your mind and fully take in that compliment or kind gesture, and then allow yourself to really feel grateful. This changes your relationship with gratitude and also teaches you the beauty of living in the moment of good things (not just the bad). 

KEEP A GRATITUDE JOURNAL 

Establish a daily routine where you list out a few things you are grateful for (people, gifts, benefits & things you enjoy). You can choose to do this at the start of each day or right at the end before you head to bed. The key in this is to be intentional and consistent. The more you incorporate this as a routine, the more you find yourself subconsciously being grateful even in difficult times. 

REFLECT ON PAST DIFFICULT TIMES

A major tip to living a more gratitude filled life is to take some time to reflect on previous difficult situations in your life, especially those ones that seemed so impossible to overcome. Reflecting, but not dwelling, on this helps you put things into perspective – you’re able to consider the growth and lessons that have made you a better and stronger person. You are also able to view present difficult situations with less anxiety because you know it’s only a matter of time, and the outcome will be newer lessons and levels of growth.  

CONSIDER THE LITTLE THINGS

Most people struggle with gratitude because they are used to associating it with big wins and successes. However this is far-fetched as it is impossible to achieve such on a daily or regular basis. Learning to be grateful for the little things is the best way to practice gratitue. When making your daily gratitude list, start from your basic senses – the ability to see, hear, smell, taste and touch. These seemingly little blessings can pose a lot of discomfort, worry and pain when they are missing in action – so practice being grateful for them each day.

BE MINDFUL OF YOUR WORDS & THOUGHTS

To remain in the mindset of gratitude, you have to be watchful of associating yourself with negative thoughts and expressions. Develop the linguistic style of grateful people (gifts, givers, abundance, blessing, fortune, grace, etc). This is not necessarily a focus on how good you are, but rather on the good people do to you or the good that exists around you.