Practicing Gratitude

One way we can practice self care is to remember the things in life for which we're grateful. Gratitude can be obligatory or it can be given freely as a way of thanking others. We usually show gratitude as a way to return a good feeling that we've gotten from someone else. But giving gratitude can also have benefits for the giver. Research show that practicing gratitude can:

• Help you make friends. One study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek a more lasting relationship with you.
• Improve your physical health. People who exhibit gratitude report fewer aches and pains, a general feeling of health, more regular exercise, and more frequent checkups with their doctor than those who don’t.
• Improve your psychological health. Grateful people enjoy higher well-being and happiness and suffer from reduced symptoms of depression.
• Enhance empathy and reduces aggression. Those who show their gratitude are less likely to seek revenge against others and more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, with sensitivity and empathy.
• Improve your sleep. Practicing gratitude regularly can help you sleep longer and better.
• Enhance your self-esteem. People who are grateful have increased self-esteem, partly due to their ability to appreciate other peoples’ accomplishments.
• Increase in mental strength. Grateful people have an advantage in overcoming trauma and enhanced resilience, helping them to bounce back from highly stressful situations. (Morin, 2014).

Ways to practice gratitude

• Journal: Get a journal and write down things you're thankful for. There's no right amount of times to write in the journal. Just find a frequency that isn't to tedious but allows you time to relax. If you're interested the link below takes you to a free gratitude journal provided by the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health Center.

• Gratitude Jar: Find a jar or box and decorate it any way you want. Each day write three things your thankful for and drop them in the jar. Over time you will see that you have many things to be thankful for and many reasons to enjoy the life you're living.
• Gratitude Tree: Find a vase and small stick to act as the trunk of tree. Put the stick upright in the vase and fill the bottom with small pebbles to hold it up. Make "leaves" from construction paper, each one containing something you're grateful for, and hang them from the stick. This is an easy activity and creates a cool reminder of things that bring joy to your life.
• Collage: Similar to the gratitude journal, a collage can be made from pictures, articles, and hand written notes. The images can be as simple as a flower or something more meaningful. You can save up materials and then put together the collage when you need to relax and be grateful.
• Gratitude letter: This is a very powerful gratitude exercise. Write a letter to a person that you are grateful to and tell them all the reasons why you care about them. Write as if you are speaking to the person then, after sending the letter, arrange a visit or phone call to discuss the letter with the recipient.

Gratitude Prompts

• I’m grateful for three things I hear:
• I’m grateful for three things I see:
• I’m grateful for three things I smell:
• I’m grateful for three things I touch/feel:
• I’m grateful for these three things I taste:
• I’m grateful for these three blue things:
• I’m grateful for these three animals/birds:
• I’m grateful for these three friends:
• I’m grateful for these three teachers:
• I’m grateful for these three family members:
• I’m grateful for these three things in my home:
• I’m grateful for these three people who hired me:
• Etc.

References:

Morin, A. (2014, November 23). 7 scientifically proven benefits of gratitude that will motivate you to give thanks year-round. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/amymorin/2014/11/23/7-scientifically-proven-benefits-of-gratitude-that-will-motivate-you-to-give-thanks-year-round/#5173c7f5183c