What are you grateful for?
Psychological science has found that we quickly become accustomed to things and situations around us, adjusting to them as the status quo. We can easily forget to appreciate what we have and who all the special people are in our lives.
Often, it’s only when we stop to take a conscious inventory of the privileges and good things in our lives that we can begin to see how much gratitude we truly have.
Things to be grateful for can be as numerous as the stars, but here are some common answers:
- Family
- Home
- Stability
- Comfort
- Satisfying work
Unfortunate events happen in the lives of everyone, and we can all have a bad day when nothing seems to go right. So on those days, how can we call up our feelings of gratitude?
Sometimes it’s simply a matter of mindfulness:
- Remembering
- Writing a list
- Saying thank you to others
- Journal writing
- Writing a letter to someone to whom you’re grateful (even if it goes un-sent)
These practices sound easy, but what happens when life gets busy or things go wrong? When others fail us or break their promises, or when sadness or anger takes over, how can we remember what’s good?
Additional steps may be necessary before we can engage in grateful practices:
- Stop
- Close your eyes
- Breathe
- Count to as many numbers as required to restore calmness
- Visualize peaceful water, sky, or clouds, or the face of a favorite person or pet
Once your feelings of gratitude are restored, you may be motivated to go beyond your basic practices and take your feelings to your community:
- Share thoughtful gratitude on social media
- Encourage others in times of difficulty
- Send a donation to a non-profit you support, giving freely without expectation
- Volunteer
There are so many ways to demonstrate your thankfulness for all the good you’ve experienced and continue to enjoy. What are your practices of gratitude?
