Gratitude Practices
As we approach the holiday season, things start to feel chaotic and hectic. We are thinking of grocery lists, gift lists, scheduling for various holidays, and balancing our own lives. One thing that can be helpful to find peace and stability during this time is taking the space to practice gratitude.
What is a gratitude practice? A gratitude practice is the conscious focus on and explicit expression of gratitude towards something or someone. There are many different ways to practice gratitude, below are some options:
A Gratitude Journal
A gratitude journal is a journal where you can write 1-3 things you are grateful for on a regular basis (ideally every day). This helps get in the mindset of feeling grateful for people and things in your life without having to feel too vulnerable or share it with others. There are no guidelines for what constitutes a “gratitude moment”, it can be small positive moments or something beautiful you saw in the world or something someone said or did to make you feel thankful. Maybe it’s something you did for yourself that constitutes attention. An example of this could be “I am grateful my body let me work out today”. There is no “right way” to journal about gratitude. It can be a helpful tool to refer back on in moments of distress.
Gratitude Letters
In the same vein as journaling, writing letters of gratitude can be just as effective. These are letters that you are not necessarily obligated to send out but can just be a form of writing down moments of gratitude. The letter can be addressed to a single person, a group, your self, your pet, or even things like nature. The letter can give practice to expressing gratitude and taking the time to focus on moments that have made you feel thankful and acknowledge that they happened.
Meditation
Writing is not a tool that is useful for everyone so meditation can be a really helpful way to practice gratitude without feeling like you have to make an extra effort to jot it down. Making a gratitude meditation practice a part of your routine can be really helpful in not only focusing on things that have made you feel grateful, but can also help with managing stress and creating a space for peace and focus. Utilizing time to truly focus on moments of gratitude while controlling your breath can be beneficial and allow the physical and mental self to pause.
Verbal Expression
Expressing our gratitude out loud to people you feel comfortable and safe with can be helpful in really focusing on gratitude. Maybe you’re telling the person why you are grateful for them or creating a shared moment of gratitude to allow more positivity into your life. The verbal expression can be really helpful in addressing gratitude directly and can create a shared experience.
Taking time to express and focus on gratitude can be a really helpful tool not just during chaotic moments but during quiet ones as well. This is a practice that can be done year round and in moments of difficulty to help orient back to a more positive outlook. As we approach a particularly busy season, take some time to stop and practice gratitude.
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