The Power of Gratitude

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What’s the first thing you do when you wake up each morning? If you’re like most people, you might grab a cup of coffee, jump in the shower, or eat breakfast. But what if something you’re not doing has the power to change your life?

The Oxford Dictionary defines gratitude as “the quality of being thankful and the readiness to show appreciation for and return kindness.” The range of gratitude can spread from spiritual thankfulness to appreciation for parents and other relatives, to teachers, to medical professionals, and to friends. Most of us know that we have people and things in life for which we are grateful, but it’s acting on that knowledge that can actually change our lives.

Gratitude has the power to help people physically, mentally, and emotionally. As far back as I can remember, I’ve known what gratitude is, and I’ve thanked God for the blessings in my life. I’ve seen a multitude of gratitude quotes and have understood that it’s important to show appreciation. However, it wasn’t until 18 months ago that I actually started practicing gratitude, making it a habit, and learning its true power. There really is a difference between being grateful once in a while and becoming a gratitude practitioner.

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According to the European Journal of Social Psychology (2009), Dr. Phillipa Lally, a researcher at the the Health Behaviour Research Centre in London, found that it takes from 18 to 254 days to form a habit, with an average of 66 days. To experience the full benefits of daily appreciation, you must immerse yourself in the practice. It’s not something you can do on Monday mornings or every other week. Gratitude needs to become a daily habit, and now is a terrific time now to dive in and gain the benefits.

The first benefit I noticed that has also been shown through research is that daily gratitude increases joy and positive emotions. I started by dedicating at least 15 minutes a day to focus on journaling about the wonderful people, situations, experiences, and things in my life. The more I focused on the positive that, admittedly, I often took for granted, the more optimistic I became. Without a doubt, the amount of happiness in my life grew. This is common for people who take time to show appreciation. While it takes a while to actually solidify that habit as a daily practice, most will discover a newly optimistic outlook shortly after beginning their gratitude practice and even before the habit is fully formed. It won’t take long for the positive thoughts and occurrences to become more abundant in your life, and that should help to solidify your new habit and create a routine.

The research of Robert Emmons, Ph.D., a professor of psychology at the University of California, and author of the books Gratitude Works and Thanks! How Practicing Gratitude Can Make You Happier, has confirmed that the positivity gratitude brings can reduce depression and anxiety. As optimism pushes its way into your life, there is less room for negative emotions, and the more grateful you are, the more you will be able to focus on those aspects of your life that are comforting and beautiful and that help you feel content. Many people struggle with feelings that can make daily living a challenge, but showing appreciation for what and whom you value has clear benefits to help to reduce negativity that can bring you down.

Along with a more positive attitude and more happiness overall, people who practice gratitude enjoy more restful sleep than those who are less grateful. A 2009 study published in The Journal of Psychosomatic Research, demonstrates that gratitude positively influences sleep quality and duration. Participants who wrote in a gratitude journal nightly before bed were less likely to think negative thoughts or to worry, which led to better sleep. Sleeping soundly also can tremendously influence mental and physical health. If you are someone who struggles to fall and stay asleep, practicing gratitude before bedtime can help.

The building and strengthening of relationships is another benefit of gratefulness. When you regularly take time to consider your relationships and what you appreciate about the people in your life, you will naturally extend more positive emotions to them and find more ways to respect and recognize their contributions to your life. Think about the last time someone showed you that they value you through their kind words, a card, or a friendly gesture. You probably felt more positively about that person, and you may have felt more cherished or connected. Practicing gratitude makes you more giving and causes you to show a greater appreciation of others, which are solid building blocks for bringing people closer together.

Additionally, by fostering more positive emotions, better relationships, and less anxiety, gratitude can increase your self-esteem. Gratitude studies also show that because your self-satisfaction grows with your new focus on thankfulness, you are less likely to resent people, to feel jealous, or to feel threatened by others. You also feel greater satisfaction with your own circumstances because you are reflecting positively on them each day. Appreciating your own qualities comes naturally as your self-esteem grows.

Finally, when considering the Law of Attraction, gratitude is believed to be one of the strongest emotions. When you focus on what is right with your life rather than the problems you face, your entire perspective on life changes. You attract what you think about and feel, so you will manifest more positive outcomes and experiences.

Practicing Gratitude

Practicing gratitude on a daily basis and making sure it becomes a habit, will bring many benefits to you and those closest to you. The following is a list of ways to show appreciation. Choose the options that will work best in your life, but be sure to pick at least 1 every day. Some, such as the gratitude journal or prayers of thanks are perfect daily choices while you can add the others at the times you would like to acknowledge the positives in specific areas of your life. There is no such thing as too much gratitude.

• Keep a gratitude journal: You can explore Amazon or any book store to find a gratitude journal that appeals to you, or simply start your own in a notebook. Include situations, people, and things you’re thankful for and be sure to write about what you appreciate or experiences that have made you feel joy each day.
• Make a gratitude list: This can be written first as you start your journey or added to each day as you build your gratitude habit. Include a list that includes what you are grateful for in various areas of your life.
• Create a gratitude jar: Write what you are grateful for on a slip of paper, and place at least one slip in your jar each day. As the list continues to grow, pull out a few papers to remind yourself of all the positives in your life.
• Prayers of thanks: Pray daily and remember, instead of asking for things, say prayers of thanks for who and what you already have in your life. In many religions, the importance of giving thanks in all circumstances is part of the rituals. Live by those practices that your beliefs call for.
• Meditation: You can find many options for gratitude meditation videos on YouTube. The following link will take you to a 21-day transformation gratitude meditation. This one aligns with the Law of Attraction and the theory that being grateful will manifest more positivity in your life. If this is not a good option for you, there are plenty of others choices.
• Thank you cards and calls: Express gratitude to those you appreciate, whether you were touched by something they’ve done or you value their presence in your life.
• Genuinely praise those you appreciate (privately or publicly): Remember, your gratitude towards others will be contagious and go a long way to building a relationship.
• Surprise someone with an act of kindness: Plan and do something nice for a person or group you appreciate. Surprises are wonderful, but planned gestures will also be appreciated.
• Give the gift of time: Time is precious, and we often don’t have enough of it. If you can carve some out for those you appreciate, you’ll have one of the best gifts of gratitude to offer. It can be time to help with a chore, to visit someone who could use the company, or even a phone call to catch up.
• Appreciate the beauty and positive aspects of your surroundings. How often do you take the beauty of a sunset, a rainbow, or the mountains for granted. Stop and take time to soak in the goodness of nature.
• Give gratitude in advance for what you hope to see in your life: With this theory, remember that what you focus on, you will attract into your life. Therefore, focusing on the positive and being thankful, even before it happens, will bring more goodness and joy to you.
• Find the positive in each situation: You are going to have bad days and negative experiences. However, it’s important to look closely at each situation to find what is positive in it. Did it teach you a lesson? Will it allow you to help someone else down the road? Did it stop you from making a bad decision? Did it lead you to something better that you didn’t know existed? Being able to find the positives will help you to gain the benefits of gratitude.

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The benefits of practicing gratitude await you. There has never been a better time than right now to get started. Based on my own experiences, I believe you will also be thrilled with the results you discover. I’d love for you to comment with your own gratitude experiences either now if you are already practicing or later if you give this a try. Enjoy the journey!