There are so many great things about practicing gratitude on a regular basis. When you learn how to stop and appreciate what’s in front of you, it’s easier to stay positive and seek solutions. Practicing gratitude is also a great way to boost your mood, improve your mental health, and bring you closer to others.
But how do you practice gratitude every day? Some might be under the impression that only grand gestures are good for showing gratitude, but this is far from the truth. If anything, it’s the little things that help you express your thankfulness consistently.
Additionally, the more you practice it, the easier it is to see the good in every situation. It’s easy to complain about the inconveniences and hardships of life. But understanding how they push you to do and be better should motivate you to practice gratefulness in every way.
Here are 4 simple ways you can practice gratitude everyday.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
If you have trouble being consistent, then keeping a gratitude journal is a great way to keep you on track. When you know you need to complete a daily entry, it’s easier to stick with and complete.
A gratitude journal is beneficial for so many reasons. For one, it keeps track of the things, both big and small, that you feel thankful for. It helps to look back and see what made you feel happy enough to write it down and keep as a memory during difficult times. If you don’t like writing things down, you can also start a blog to track your progress.
Writing down what you’re thankful for also reinforces the idea that you don’t need to wait for something big to happen. You can feel grateful for what’s right in front of you, even if you aren’t anywhere near where you want to be. It’s just as important to appreciate the present moment as it is to prepare for your future successes.
Perform Selfless Acts
When you do good expecting nothing in return, it’s the most selfless state of being you can be in. It’s easier to feel grateful for what you have when you know others would love to be in your current position.
You can use the opportunities you have now to show your gratitude and use it to help others. It’s your way of telling the universe that you have the resources to appreciate what you have and give back in whatever way you can.
You can do a favor for a friend, buy a stranger a meal, or simply hold the door open for the next person. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture for it to mean something. Doing something kind for someone while expecting nothing in return makes you feel good and reminds you that there’s always something to be thankful for.
Practice Mindfulness
A common reason why people struggle with gratitude is because they focus on the negatives in their lives. Both good and bad situations happen to everyone, but how you choose to deal with them determines your outlook, mood, mindset, and behavior.
The purpose of mindfulness is to bring you back to the present moment when all your thoughts want to do is wander. When you focus on the present, you can appreciate it for what it is instead of what you want it to be. This gives you the mental space and awareness to practice gratitude even during difficult times.
Meditation is a great way to practice mindfulness and self-awareness. The more aware you are of your thoughts and attitudes, the easier it is to change and improve them. Don’t worry about getting it perfect at first and focus more on consistency. There are endless sources online like podcasts for beginner meditation courses that focus on practicing gratitude.
Create a Gratitude Jar
For some, it’s difficult to practice gratitude due to recurring negative thinking patterns and processes. It’s nearly impossible to break a bad habit overnight, and that includes harboring negative thoughts.
To stay on top of practicing thankfulness, try creating a gratitude jar. After you write on a small piece of paper what you’re grateful for that day, you put it in the jar. Pretty soon, it’ll be overflowing with reasons to be thankful.
You get to decide what you’re grateful for and what goes in your jar. You can even be grateful for completing a critical task at work. The options are endless. When you’re feeling down or unappreciative, look at what you’ve written and reflect on how it made you feel. You’ll remember all the things you have to appreciate so it’s easier to stay positive moving forward.
Your Turn
Practicing gratitude everyday doesn’t have to be difficult or take a lot of time. Anyone can and should do it as it produces many positive benefits, especially improving personal growth. Taking the time to be grateful for what you have prepares you for bigger blessings to come and an overall better mindset. How will you practice gratitude in your day-to-day life?