Learning to live a life of gratitude.
what is gratitude?
We’ve all heard the word gratitude and know it’s good to show gratitude…but what does it actually mean or look like?
Defined as a feeling of appreciation for something, it’s a recognition of the value of what we have. Taking a moment to notice and be thankful for a thing, a person or a meaningful feeling is an expression of gratitude.
The key here is recognising moments in our day that we might otherwise overlook or take for granted. If we won a million dollars, we would all feel a rush of joy, right? But what about tasting an ice-cream on a hot day, having a conversation with a good friend or watching your children playing sport? They are all things to be thankful for which we might normally not even notice.
It’s really easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind and attach to negative thoughts. We are bombarded by bad news each day, see everyone else on social media living an insta-worthy life and sometimes suffer needlessly over things we’ve said or done which we perceive as being wrong or bad.
We might spend our entire weekend ferrying family around to events and doing the food shopping, all the while dreading going back to work on Monday morning. Not living in the moment, just getting through. Feeling like you’re existing rather than living.
It’s easy to see how moments of positivity pass us by unnoticed and we fall into the habit of not even registering gratitude let alone expressing it.
Luckily for us it’s not too difficult to cultivate an ‘attitude of gratitude’ and like a muscle, gratitude can be grown until it becomes part of our daily way of being.
how to cultivate gratitude.
Whilst it’s not complicated to grow gratitude, it does take consistency (like everything eh!!). There should be some effort and a commitment to change your attitude to begin with and a definite plan in place to make it happen.
Don’t despair I have done the work for you and put together the following exercises to help you grow your grateful outlook on life.
Practice mindfulness
Slow down and savour the moment.
Stop sometimes and take a breath. Sounds crazy but…if you don’t know how to breathe this might help?!
Notice what’s going on around you. Actually notice rather than just see.
Practice getting into your senses. You might slowly eat a piece of chocolate and really taste it, have a long hot bath with scented oils or sit outside with a cup of tea and listen to the birds.
Take your shoes off and stand outside in bare feet, feel the earth and all its power.
Try forest bathing. Once you understand the principle it can be done close to home (in most cases).
Try a meditation practice using an app like Calm or headspace. When used regularly these can really help to ground, calm, reduce stress and increase focus.
Writing
Keep a gratitude journal. This might be physical or digital, whatever works for you. Check out the Resilience Project for ideas.
Write down 3 -5 things each evening that you’re grateful for.
Try to acknowledge small gifts rather than just the most significant moments. Did you meet a friend, chat with a stranger, relax with a good book or get into a freshly made bed?
Think about the feelings you experienced during the day. Give focus to the pleasant feelings and sensations.
Did you laugh out loud or smile at something, was your mood boosted by a particular moment? This short video is fun and educational and you’ll probably have a laugh!
Who did you enjoy spending time with during the day?
Send a message of thanks to a friend. Sometimes we forget how important our friends are and writing a thank you can make you both feel good.
Gratitude is a state of thankfulness, a positive emotional response experienced when giving or receiving a benefit from others. It can be as simple as saying thanks to someone or performing an act of kindness.
Cultivated by creating a routine and mindful practice, gratitude can begin small and grow each day. Chat to me if you’d like to find ways to grow your daily mindfulness and gratitude practice. I can support you with consistency and self-kindness whilst you’re learning.