Since we are in the month of November, it seems appropriate to discuss gratitude, what it is and how to practice it. Practicing gratitude on a regular basis is a wonderful way to start or end your day. You will feel more inner peace.

What is a gratitude practice?

Gratitude is being aware of and appreciative of things, people and situations in your life. It doesn’t have to be large. As a matter of fact, most of the things we are grateful for occur on a daily basis and are small. It can be as simple as someone smiling at you as they passed in the hallway. Maybe someone opened the door for you or let you cut in traffic. When we look for and appreciate these small things, our lives become very full.

Ways to develop your gratitude practice

Gratitude for others

None of us get to where we are in life on our own. Who helped you get to where you are emotionally, physically or spiritually? I’m sure there are many people you are grateful for.

An exercise I do with a lot of couples is to have them share 1 thing they love or appreciate about each other. It is amazing how good it can feel to have some kind words from another person.

Think of past challenges

If we didn’t have challenges or difficult times, we wouldn’t appreciate the blessings that we have. If every day were a good one, it would just be the norm. When we have pain, it reminds us to be thankful when things are good.

In addition, ponder the good that has come from the challenge. What did you learn, or how did you grow? There is always some type of silver lining that comes from our struggles. Not that we would wish anyone to have a hard time. When you look for the positives, you will find something.

Celebrating small wins for your gratitude practice

Did you accomplish a goal, or part of a goal? Did you get a date with someone you like? Perhaps you got that part in a play, cleaned the house, or made a nice meal.

Take time to relish your hard work. You do this on a regular basis. Be thankful for all you are able to do.

Gratitude journal

Write down 3 things you are grateful for each day. There are positive things that occur all the time. Take the time to focus on them, savor them. Feel the warmth spreading throughout your body as you do this.

In addition, if you are having a bad day, it helps to go back and read through your journal to remind yourself of all the good in your life.

Gratitude wall

Some people write what they are thankful for on a sticky note. Then they put the note on the wall. Keep adding more things you are grateful for over time. Pretty soon you will have a full wall.

Also, if you have friends over, they can add to the wall with the things they are grateful for. Then if you are having a bad day, just go over to the wall and read. Soak in all the positive things that occur. It can be a mood changer.

Rituals for your gratitude practice

Do you or your family have any gratitude rituals? Some families do this over Thanksgiving. Perhaps you have everyone go around the table and share something they are grateful for or appreciate.

Maybe you recently got married and would like to start your own ritual. Some people volunteer, others donate food or money. There is no wrong or right, it’s whatever works for you.

Volunteer

When we volunteer, we can feel grateful on several levels. First of all, it feels good to help other people or animals. We can express gratitude that we have the time/resources to help others, and be thankful that we are not struggling like those we may be helping out.

Mindfulness/Meditation

Being mindful helps you stay in the moment and to be aware. There is no judgment. You can reflect on the things that you are grateful for. You can also just focus on what is in front of you, and appreciate the view. Pay attention to your 5 senses to deepen the experience. Or you can meditate on something specific that you are grateful for.

There are many ways to practice gratitude. These are just a few ideas. You may have other ways that you do so. Perhaps you want to start a new tradition. Regardless of how you do this, it will enrich your life, make you happier and feel more content.

If this is something that sounds challenging for you, or you don’t think you have anything to be grateful for, you might consider therapy. We can come up with a game plan to help you focus on the things that are going well for you. Give me a call at 713-304-6554 if I can help.

Take care,

Debbie Grammas