How to Practice Gratitude, Mindfulness and Give Thanks

Ready to cultivate more joy in your life? Here’s how to practice gratitude with simple, yet powerful techniques.

Thank you for taking this moment to work on yourself and improve your well-being, happiness and overall quality of life.

After all, it’s your story, your life. Your personal story to be thankful for!

Gratitude is strongly related to well-being, and the potential of improving well-being through fostering gratitude is done with simple exercises.

Giving thanks is a powerful tool in positive psychology. Being thankful focuses on what you’re grateful for, boosting happiness, reducing stress, and strengthening relationships. By cultivating gratitude, you cultivate a more fulfilling life. Here’s how.

Thank You

First, thank you, for being here, in this moment of gratitude and enlightenment.

The practice of gratitude is something that may already come easily to you or maybe it does not come easily at all.

While good moments are already present in your life everyday, the conscious awareness and recognition of gratitude may have not fully crossed into your conscious thought – yet. 

I invite you to take a few minutes to explore gratitude with me now and learn the many rewarding benefits that it can bring to you on your journey for a more fulfilling, peaceful and calm point of life view. The technique is easy to do and you can start practicing today.

This is your life, this is your story. Let’s dive in and learn how to practice gratitude.

But First, What is Gratitude?

Gratitude is a positive emotion that involves feeling thankful and appreciative for the good things in your life. It’s a recognition of value, not necessarily monetary value, but the worth of something that brings you joy, peace, or a sense of well-being.

Gratitude is your ability to allow yourself the permission to be consciously grateful for good moments in your life.

When you allow your mind to consciously recognize and collect grateful moments throughout your day, well-being will surround you and continuously fill your life in a positive and calming way.

What is something small that you are grateful for right now?

A Simple Form of Appreciation

Gratitude is a simple form of appreciation for anything (or everything) that crosses your path and you build into your life narrative. 

It is the natural fleeting feeling of joy when you appreciate a simple moment or thought that crosses your mind.

The simple gift of gratitude happens all the time. 

For example, when you wake up in the morning, when you have something to eat, when you drink a glass of water and you feel that your thirst is quenched. When you wake up and realize that you are gifted life to begin another day. 

These gifts are a present in your present, and gratitude is consciously recognizing them.

How to Start Practicing Gratitude

To start, notice any feelings of comfort that start to arrive when you consciously acknowledge your gratitude for the small things, the small gifts in life, the gratitude that you feel in an ordinary, normal way.

What if Practicing Gratitude Doesn’t Work For Me?

Not feeling it? That’s ok!

Understanding gratitude may not be concept that you buy into at first, or at all.

If you are struggling to give thanks for moments of joy or for the little things in your life, keep trying.

Just as you can choose to think, catch and hold onto negative thoughts, you can do the same for positive thoughts.

The positivity begins with practicing gratitude. It might not happen at first, but if you can build this practice into your day, your thoughts will eventually change your beliefs and ultimately, your actions.

The practice of thankfulness, being mindful and consciously aware does not happen overnight. It is through a dedicated practice that you will become more mindful and grateful (and happy!).

So try each day, or each moment, that you encounter a normal feeling of thankfulness.

Gratitude can be as as simple as being thankful to meet with friends, or maybe, to have the time to stay at home to relax with yourself.

What if You Cannot Find the Time to Practice?

If you cannot find the ability to practice or understand gratitude, that’s fine too.

Instead, view the mental opposition as an opportunity and chance for you to practice mental calmness, composure, and an evenness of temper, especially in a difficult situation or when not in agreement with something or someone else’s point of view.

Whatever mood or vibe you are feeling, know that today has found you here, to an exploration of gratitude. So thank you for taking a chance to try something new!

Insights About Gratitude

I often read comments online or stories about people feeling alone or even an increase in workplace loneliness because of the rise of remote jobs.

According to FastCompany, specifically, workers with entirely remote jobs suffered from their isolation, with 25% of virtual workers expressing that they experienced loneliness “a lot” the previous day.

After the 2020 pandemic and in the lingering thereafter, there has been so many of us stuck in a mental or physical health struggle.

The feelings of being tired, frustrated, empty or sad can feel all consuming and lonely. While parts of life can definitely evoke happiness there are also moments that are still challenging, even overwhelming.

However; through practicing gratitude, those feelings and thoughts can be calmed and your world view turned positive. This theory is based in the practice of positive psychology.

With continuous practice, I hope that gratitude will enlighten your mind.

Mindfulness and Being Thankful

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is the practice of paying present-moment attention in a calm, nonjudgmental way.

Mindful self compassion is about becoming aware of your thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and the surrounding environment – without getting caught up in them.

Living in the moment. Feeling the seat you are sitting in. Breathing the air you are in. Feeling your feet touch the surface. Being aware, and living in, the present.

How to Practice Thankfulness

Appreciation

The act of appreciation involves acknowledging something positive in your life, whether it’s a big event, a small gesture, or a personal quality.

I appreciate you for being mindful, right now, and wanting to learn more about how gratitude can transform your life more positively.

Thank you for sharing this moment with me!

Focus on the Good

Gratitude encourages you to shift your focus from what’s lacking to what you have.

With mindful self compassion, you can say something like:

Thank you, for deep breaths!

Thank you, for the comfort of my chair.

Thank you for the softness of my bed.

Thank you for the stillness of this moment.

Your turn. What are you thankful for in this very moment? Please share what you are thankful for with me here, would love to receive the gratitude, big or small.

Recognition of Source

Gratitude can be directed towards a specific source, like a person who helped you, or it can be a general appreciation for life’s blessings.

Just as we can pull joy vicariously through observing others who are experiencing joy, being mindful to recognize someone who has helped you is a form of gratitude that you can be thankful for.

Benefits of Gratitude

Gratitude is associated with feelings of joy, warmth, and contentment. It is a positive emotion.

Research shows that practicing gratitude can have a significant positive impact on your well-being.

So why do practice? Here are some benefits.

Increased happiness

Gratitude helps you focus on the positive aspects of your life, leading to greater happiness and overall well-being.

Thank you for dogs!

Improved relationships

Expressing gratitude to others strengthens social bonds and fosters positive connections.

Thank you for the people in life who make you smile, are kind and who support you. If you don’t have someone close to you, thank you to the stranger that held the door open as you walked in or out.

Reduced stress

Gratitude can help you cope with stressful situations and promote a sense of calmness and resilience.

Thank you for safety, thank you for a place to rest.

Enhanced motivation

Feeling grateful can boost your motivation and inspire you to achieve your goals.

Every day is a new day. I am thankful I can begin again!

4 Practical Ways on How to Practice Gratitude

Here are some simple ways to incorporate gratitude into your daily life.

1. Keep a gratitude journal. Find one minute that will work for you in your day. Say or write down things you’re grateful for. You can do this on paper, on notes in a mobile phone, in a journal, on a napkin…

2. Express appreciation. Thank the people who have or do make a positive difference in your life with a text, a card or a call. You can even simply send a picture. Sometimes a visual is worth a thousand words.

3. Practice mindfulness: Take time to appreciate the little things in life, like a beautiful sunset or a delicious meal.

4. Shift your perspective: When faced with challenges, try to also find something positive to be grateful for in the situation. There is always light on the other side of darkness. Practice finding it!

Attitude of Gratitude

Gratitude is a simple way to incorporate a powerful tool that can significantly improve your quality of life. By adopting an attitude of gratitude, you can cultivate a sense of joy, strengthen your relationships, and live a more fulfilling life.

Grateful for you, Brigette

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Want more balance? Read more on happiness:

6 strategies to find more life balance in your day

Improve pickleball skill levels with lessons from the Kung Fu Panda

Resources:

Science Direct: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272735810000450

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