Today’s post is all about gratitude practices. If you’re looking to find easy ways to be happy in your everyday life, these practical and powerful ways are a great place to start.
what is the definition of gratitude?
According to the dictionary……..
Gratitude is the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
Or as said in the words of Oprah Winfrey….
“The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now. And the more grateful you are, the more you get.”
Oprah Winfrey
Gratitude is about teaching yourself to and give thanks for the things and people around you. For all the situations and amazing things that you are blessed with. Gratitude teaches you that the answer is not “when I get _____ I’ll be _____” but instead, “when I learn to be happy with what I have then I’ll have more of that”.
Taking a moment to notice and acknowledge the things you’re grateful for each day can brighten your outlook, boost your mood, and help you feel more positive in the face of challenges or adversities’
Gratitude is the answer to life. To living life to the fullest. To have freedom. Gratitude is everything and more. But unfortunately not many people know this and are unable to put this into authentic practice.
Being grateful is so simple and gives you more of a reward than anything else. Yet no one knows how to use it.
how gratitude can make your life a whole lot better
Practicing gratitude has incredible effects, from improving our mental health to boosting our relationships with others. Gratitude is a powerful emotion that can provide you with a number of benefits and can really transform your life for the better.
It can also reduces aggression and makes a person more empathetic.
Even showing gratitude for the little things — such as saying thank you when a person holds a door open or writing a quick thank you note to a co-worker — can make people feel more open about extending new opportunities to you.
When you practice gratitude each day you will change your life very quickly and be amazed at the transformation that it makes.
Four examples of How Gratitude can Benefit your Life:
1. Use Gratitude to get into a happier mood
It is very easier to get into a bad mood if you do not have an attitude of gratitude. If someone has done something to upset you then rather than getting angry at them why not express some gratitude towards them instead? I appreciate that this is not an easy thing to do and will require some practice but it will certainly be worth it.
You will find when you do this that your mood will change from a negative angry state to a happier state. This is especially useful in your relationship with your partner. Don’t let things that they do to annoy you put you in a bad mood and get into an argument. Instead think how grateful you are and tell them this.
2. Use Gratitude to improve your Life and Relationship
The number of break-ups in relationships are rising everyday. People are quitting their relationships over the smallest of things. If you are someone that likes to criticize your partner for all of their failings then change your approach and show them gratitude instead. It will be easy for you to find things that you are grateful about your partner when you put your mind to it. Tell your partner why you are so grateful to have them in your life and make them feel great. Notice how their face changes and the words that they say in reply. Gratitude will certainly help you to make your relationships stronger.
Gratitude alters what you pay attention to. As such it changes your perspective; a shift in perspective shifts your reality.
Gratitude takes you from scarcity (I will never have enough! I will never be enough!) to abundance (I’m already enough! I already have enough!). I t exercises your optimism muscle.
It gets you out of the confines of your head. Gratitude is a friendly beast, it grows beautifully within you with shines and sparkles – if you feed it.
3. You can be a better Parent with Gratitude
If you have children then it is pretty easy for you to become frustrated with them. They do things that you don’t want them to do and this leads to anger and disappointment. In this situation most parents will express their disappointment to their children which just creates a negative atmosphere.
When you criticize your children they are going to feel really bad about what they have done. So think about why you are truly grateful to have your children and tell them this. This will change their mood straight away and everyone will feel better for the experience.
4. Gratitude help you cope with Tragedy
If you experience a tragedy in your life such as losing a loved one, then think about the people that are left in your life and express your gratitude for this. We all have to face tragedies in life at some time or another and the most important thing is that you do not let this totally overcome you.
By expressing your gratitude for the people that you still have in your life you will be more positive about moving forward. Use these amazing benefits to transform your life for the better through an attitude of gratitude.
15 ways to practice gratitude today
Here are 15 Ways You can make Gratitude a way of Life:
- Look in the mirror and say, “You’re doing great” “I’m proud of you” as you start the day.
- Meditate, focusing on the present moment without judgement,
- When bad things happen, ask yourself what can be learned from them.
- Notice the beauty of the things you see each day, the sunset, sunrise, green grass, flowers, blue and grey skies.
- Compliment at least one stranger per day.
- Reach out to someone that changed your life and share your gratitude for them.
- Find at least one motivational quote per week and reflect on it whenever you start to feel grumpy or discouraged.
- Always start your day with a grateful heart.
- Post words, photos or objects of gratitude around your home.
- Write down regularly 1-10 things you’re grateful for. Remember to appreciate the small things and to thank your family and friends.
- Write Thank You notes whenever possible.
- Mindfully reflect on your blessings during the day.
- Spend at least five minutes thinking about all the ways you’ve stepped out of your comfort zone lately and succeeded in the face of adversity.
- Take a gratitude walk.
- Listen to a guided gratitude mediations first thing in the morning or last thing before you sleep.
Final Thoughts on Ways to Practice Gratitude today
There you have it – 15 practical ways to practice gratitude today. Of course you don’t have to do them all at once. Pick a few and start there and create a daily gratitude habit. In no time you’ll see the positive effects that practicing gratitude will have on your life.
Gratitude never come easily to some people. However, you now have several strategies for being and staying grateful. As soon as you make a point of living gratefully, you’ll never look back.