Are you grateful for the good in your life? Or do you pay more attention to the bad stuff?
Training ourselves to pay more attention to the good and be grateful for it has many benefits. But you may not know where to start. If you want to be more grateful, I give you a few ideas to practice gratitude.
1. Give thanks
Yes, exactly, give thanks whenever you can when someone does something for you. Not only does it help you practice gratitude; it also makes the other person feel good. So do not be sparing with the words “thank you” and its variants.
Maybe you are very used to saying thanks to salesclerks, waiters etc. as a gesture of good manners. But think about if you thank your partner, your children, family, friends, coworkers. Sometimes we take for granted the gestures they have with us or the things they do and we forget to thank them.
2. Do a mental gratitude review
The idea is to take a few minutes each day, either in the morning or at the end of the day. Think of everything that you are grateful for in your life. Also, if you do it in the morning, think about what awaits you that day and what you are grateful for. If you do the gratitude review in the evening, consider what has happened to you throughout the day. Try to think of at least three positive things.
3. Keep a gratitude journal
Another way to practice gratitude is to keep a journal. This is like the mental review but writing down everything for which you feel gratitude. So take a few minutes each day to write down at least 3 things for which you are grateful. If this seems too much, start by journaling once a week.
However, to get into the habit more quickly, I suggest doing a mental review on the days that you do not write in your journal.
4. Smile and be grateful
Smiling has multiple benefits for your well-being and health. It is also proven that smiling, even for no reason, improves your mood.
Well, you can add a twist to it. Smile for half a minute. As you do this, think about your favourite people, things, places, and activities. These are all things you can be grateful for.
5. Take a walk of gratitude
Do you like to walk? Well, that is another occasion which you can take advantage of to practice gratitude. The next time you go out for a walk, pay attention to the positive and beautiful things that surround you and that you can see or perceive. Perhaps it is the beauty of a building, of a flower, of a tree. Maybe it is the smell of something freshly-baked from a bakery or pastry shop, or the smell of freshly brewed coffee. Activate all your senses and savour it all.
You can even combine this with point 4. If you come across acquaintances in your neighbourhood, smile and greet them. Be grateful that they are there or for their kindness. This is like a mindful walk but paying attention to the positive things in your environment.
6. Create a gratitude jar
To do this, you need a jar, box, can or other recipient, a pencil or pen, and pieces of paper. If you want, decorate it with stickers or ribbons or whatever you feel like. Then write on small notes the things that you are grateful for and that make you happy. Begin the sentences with “I am grateful for,” “I am thankful for” or “I am happy for”, for example.
The day you start with your gratitude jar, write down everything that comes to mind. Later, whenever you think of something else, add another note to the jar. I suggest that you keep it in a place in sight. That way, when you need to cheer up, you can look at it and it will help you see the glass fuller.
7. Create an inventory of gratitude
This idea for practicing gratitude is similar to the previous one. It is about writing down 100 things that you are grateful for. Think about your positive qualities, strengths, and characteristics. Also remember good experiences. Think of all the people you are grateful to know. Even write the things you own.
To make your gratitude inventory more orderly, you can also create a table with different categories. That way you can write down everything you can think of under each category heading.
8. Play the chair of gratitude
Do you want to do something different at the next meeting with family or friends? How about playing the gratitude chair? To do this, you place a chair in the middle of the room. Then, the people present will take turns sitting in the chair. All the rest of you express why you appreciate the person sitting in the chair, why you are grateful to them and why you feel affection for them.
You may find the idea somewhat uncomfortable at first. But it will help you appreciate your loved ones more and make them feel more appreciated. Surely it helps you to bond with them.
9. Send a message of gratitude
Another way to practice gratitude is to prepare a gratitude message. Think of one or more people who have impacted your life in a positive way. If you want to thank them in a special way, write a note thanking them. Explain why you thank them and what impact their action has had on your life.
You can send the people in question a text message via WhatsApp or email. But if you want it to be more special, I suggest you write a letter by hand to send by mail or deliver in person. Another idea can be to record an audio or a video to send by WhatsApp.
10. Pay a gratitude visit
You may prefer to thank someone in person. Then pay them a visit to thank them for being there and for everything they have done for you.
If you find it difficult to express face-to-face everything you feel, or think you are going to forget something, write them a letter of gratitude previously. Then visit the person to deliver the letter.
11. Give a gratitude box
Not sure what gift to give to your loved ones? Well, an original idea, and with which you practice gratitude at the same time, is to prepare a gratitude box. Choose a nice box and sheets of paper or cardboard.
Then, as in point 7, create a gratitude inventory, but this time about the person to whom you are giving the box. Write notes with all the characteristics you like about them. Think of all the beautiful experiences you have had together. Thank them for everything they have done for you. Then give them the box for their birthday, for Christmas, for your anniversary or ‘just because’ at any other time.
12. Practice loving-kindness meditation
One last idea to practice gratitude is loving-kindness meditation (Metta Bhavana). To do this, find yourself a quiet place and close your eyes. Then recite the following mantra thinking of yourself:
- May I be happy
- May I be healthy
- May I be safe
- May I live with ease
Then recite the phrases thinking of other people. First visualise loved ones and recite the mantra. Then repeat it thinking of people you know. At last, think of people you do not know and recite the phrases.
- May you be happy
- May you be healthy
- May you be safe
- May you live with ease
With this meditation you cultivate love, compassion, and kindness. And this will help you feel more grateful for your life and for those around you.
Do you usually practice gratitude?
Are you grateful for your life and the people around you? Do you usually practice gratitude? If so, how do you practice it?
If you think you could practice gratitude more, which of the ideas will you try?
