How to Develop a Practice of Gratitude

The practice of gratitude as a tool for happiness has been around for many years. Long-term studies support gratitude’s effectiveness, suggesting that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in work, better health, peak performance in sports and business and a higher sense of well-being.

So, if everyone acknowledges gratitude’s many benefits, why is it so difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what is broken, undone or lacking in our lives. And for gratitude to meet its full potential in our lives, it needs to become more than just a “Thanksgiving” or greeting card word. We have to learn a new way of looking at things, and create a new habit. which can take some time.

That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of complaining about what we lack, we shift our perspective by giving ourselves the chance to see all of life as an opportunity and a blessing.

Gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach in which the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s more a matter of where we put our focus and attention. Pain and injustice exist in this world, but when we focus on the gifts of life, we gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude helps balances us and gives us hope.  Here is a list I recently found of some ways to begin a practice of gratitude.

Tips to Practice Gratitude

•  Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists. Keeping your journal where you can see to remind you to think in a grateful way.

•  Make a gratitude collage by drawing or pasting pictures.

•  Practice gratitude around the dinner table or make it part of your nighttime routine.

•  Make a game of finding the silver lining in a challenging situation.

•  When you feel like complaining, make a gratitude list instead. You may be amazed by how much better you feel.

•  Notice how gratitude is impacting your life. Write about it, sing about it, express thanks.

As you develop your practice, an inner shift begins to occur, and you may be thrilled to discover how content and hopeful you are feeling.

Having a sense of more fulfillment in your days is gratitude at work.

Author’s content used with permission, © Claire Communications

Save Time--Create Habits

We can all agree that there is a glorification of BUSY going on and there is no shortage of suggestions on how to “Be more productive” or being asked to “Do more with less”.  One often overlooked way to help us save time in our day and generate more mental energy is to create habits.  Establishing effective habits in our daily routine helps us create ease and flow in our day. When you have fewer decisions to make it frees up your mind for creative thinking and making purposeful choices. 

As many of us have experienced first- hand it’s hard to keep up willpower for any length of time. Yes, we can stick to a Juicing Plan or go hungry for a week on a low-calorie diet, but eventually our determination fades.

If you think about it, there is an inverse relationship between habits and will power. When you first want to build a new habit, it takes a lot of will power to get it done day in and day out. As you start to establish that habit, it becomes easier and easier to do until you don’t even have to think about it anymore.

Just being aware of this process helps us stick it out. We know we don’t always have to make such a big effort to skip the muffin for a healthy breakfast. There is a light at the end of the tunnel. We recognize eventually it will become habit to go out for a run first thing in the morning and grab some fruit for breakfast.

Tips to Create a Habit

·        Use a to-do list or set a text reminder to help stay on track

·        Find an accountability partner so the two of you can motivate each other

·        Pre-planning for your new habit. Laying out your running clothes the night before

 By creating a new habit, you have given yourself more time to think about the things that matter most which keep you living a purposeful life.

“We are what we repeatedly do.  Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit”–Aristotle