Gratitude Practice
The human mind is comparable to a filter. The mind often overlooks the aspects of life that are going well and highlights the negatives. Individuals often report that when they lie in bed at night they think about what went wrong that day. The purpose of the filter that is the human mind is to keep us safe. However, it can often leave us feeling down and dissatisfied.
Practicing gratitude is proven to be an effective coping skill with positive outcomes for mental health. It is different than simply “looking at the bright side”. Rather than reframing negative thoughts into positive ones, gratitude practice is intentionally noticing the things that you don’t typically pay attention to.
Life can often be overwhelming. During stressful times, our minds have the tendency to view everything as bad. Practicing gratitude is thinking about a day that was awful and taking a step back to identify what you are grateful for. Start small. My week was incredibly stressful, and I was grateful to put on my fuzzy, warm slippers when I finally got to bed at night. I strongly dislike the colder weather, and I appreciate the beautiful colors in the changing leaves.
Practicing gratitude may not come easily at first when the mind is not trained to think in this way. Being consistent and intentional about making this a daily practice will allow it to come more naturally over time. There are many ways to incorporate practicing gratitude into a daily routine.
Gratitude journaling- Take 5 minutes out of your day to write down 3 or more things that you are grateful for that occurred that day. This can be done on a piece of paper or in your phone. There are also many options to buy gratitude journals online with different prompts to encourage thoughts of gratitude.
Meditation- This is another activity that can be completed in 5 minutes for those who do not have more time. Quiet your mind, focus on deep inhales and exhales, and visualize the moments you are grateful for from that day. This is also an activity with plenty of online resources for guided gratitude meditation.
Gratitude list- Write down a list of all the things you are grateful for in your life from big to small. Keep that list somewhere where you can reread it like on your mirror or as your phone background.
The Thanksgiving holiday is approaching. What an ideal time to begin practicing gratitude! So much focus goes into planning, prepping, cooking, and stressing. What are you thankful for? Challenge yourself to spend time focusing on what you are grateful for to honor the message of the holiday this year.