The term gratitude comes from the Latin word gratia, which means grace, graciousness, or Gratitude. It is defined as a grateful appreciation for what one receives, which enables people to connect to something larger than themselves as individuals. It is strongly associated with happiness and allows individuals to feel more positive emotions and appreciate their experiences. It also improves their health and helps them to develop strong relationships. Grateful people acknowledge the goodness in their lives and usually recognise that the source of that goodness is at least partially outside of themselves. (Viagra online) As a result, they not only grow themselves but also contribute to the growth of others as well in the form of acts of selflessness and generosity like donations, endowments and charity.
Furthermore, studies show that gratitude intervention is a powerful tool against anxiety. This is because our brains can only do one thing at a time: either be anxious or be grateful! We’ve curated five practical ways by which you can develop the spirit of Gratitude and lead happier calmer lives.
5 Practical Ideas for Developing Gratitude
1. Maintain a Journal
A gratitude journal involves jotting down a list of the things you were grateful for that day in a journal. There are no definite inflexible rules when it comes to journaling so that you can decide on the content, length and details of your list. Maintaining a gratitude journal is beneficial in many ways. For instance, if you practice journaling daily, after some time, you’ll have a great collection of inspiring material to refer to when you face adversity. Another benefit is that jotting down things gives it a tangible form and allows you to better understand yourself and your surroundings.
2. Create a Gratitude Jar or Box
A gratitude jar or box is very similar to a gratitude journal. The idea is to make a routine of jotting down the little things that made you happy during your day and drop the piece of paper into the jar as a reminder of those happy moments. Studies have shown that we have brains that remember adverse events more easily than positive ones. Therefore, creating a gratitude jar is especially beneficial when you feel low because you can simply take out a chit from the jar and read it. This will remind you of a good memory and distract you from negative self-talk.
3. Gratitude Prompts
Prompts are especially beneficial for difficult days where you can’t actively remember anything good that happened and when you might have overlooked the little good things that may have occurred that day. Therefore, having a list of prompts to choose from can help to focus and reflect. Some examples of prompts are:
- Describe your favourite person and describe a good moment you shared with the person,
- Write about a random act of kindness you received from a stranger,
- Remember a success you had and what that made you feel
- Write about a happy video/ reel/ news article that you recently saw on social media and
- Write about a happy food memory.
4. Spend some time in community service
For example, imagine this scenario: You accidentally overslept, missed your bus, and ended up having a lousy presentation because you were flustered and didn’t like the meal they later served at the canteen. Such a day can be quite the downer. But on your way back home, you helped an older woman onto the bus, and she smiled at you and said thank you. Their Gratitude for your help, if you’ve noticed, is contagious. It would’ve made you happy. This is because you will feel their Gratitude towards you and mirror the appreciative emotions surrounding you. Moreover, the practice of compassion and community services, and volunteer missions boost your happiness and sense of self, resulting in overall well-being.
5. Practising Reflection and Mindfulness
Practising reflection and mindfulness helps to re-align your attention towards the positive things in your life. When you take the time to focus on the positive aspects of your life, you will naturally become more optimistic because you choose to see more positivity in your life and give negative emotions less power. Moreover, taking a step outside yourself and reflecting on your place in the grand scheme of things can help you feel more connected and give you a greater sense of connection and belonging within the community.
Conclusion
Regularly exercising Gratitude does quite a lot for our brains and mental well-being, although we might not realise it immediately. Moreover, researchers suggest that Gratitude’s effects may be long-lasting and incredibly positive.
Some of the most practical ways to develop Gratitude are by maintaining a gratitude journal, creating a gratitude jar or box, spending time with people who need us, and spending quality time with yourself in reflection and mindfulness. There are also plenty of organisations (like IMANA for instance) that provide mental health services and resources that can also be utilized in your journey to developing a grateful spirit. American actress, singer and activist Doris Day once said, “Gratitude is riches. Complain is poverty.” May we all grow in Gratitude and riches!
