“Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity … it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” ~ Melody Beattie
There are many definitions of gratitude, but experiencing gratitude at its fundamental level requires a conscious effort. It’s about expressing and saying ‘thank you’ while actually feeling thankful.
Gratitude is a conscious, positive emotion one can express when feeling thankful for something or someone, whether tangible or intangible. It’s about acknowledging and being consciously thankful for the many large and small blessings life brings everyday
Gratitude requires acknowledging someone else’s gesture towards us or the things that are going well in our lives. It involves both a process of recognition of the positive and its outcome.
Research suggest that people who consciously count their blessings tend to be happier and less depressed. Notably, it’s impossible to feel grateful and stressed at the same time, writes Dr. Jason N. Linder, Psy.D., LMFT, a licensed bilingual (Spanish-speaking) therapist specializing in relationship, trauma, addiction-related, and mindfulness therapies. “This is a basic principle in psychology called “Reciprocal Inhibition”; we can’t feel two contradicting states at once. And the best part about gratitude is that it’s easy to access in little time,” he explains.
Moreover, research has found that gratitude changes our brains and those who practice gratitude tend to have more brain activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, the area associated with learning and decision making.
Gratitude can overpower negative emotions. It boosts positive emotions like joy and compassion while encouraging us to look for and connect with what’s pleasing and good in life.
In general, gratitude is a simple tool we all have at our disposal to improve our own psychological well-being and that of others.
Five ways to practice gratitude
Like any skill, gratitude can be learned and strengthened. Here are some tips on how to practice gratitude.
- Each day, think of three things you’re thankful for. Make it a daily habit to visualize what’s good in your life.
- Start a gratitude journal. Journaling can be an excellent self-therapy technique. When you write, you use different parts of your brain and access memories and emotions from a new perspective. A gratitude journal has been proven to activate brain areas that are related to morality and positive emotions.
- Thank someone new every week.There are many people around us, and we are all connected somehow. You must take the time to express gratitude more consciously or thoughtfully. Give yourself the purpose of choosing someone new each week and learn how to express gratitude differently.
- Be mindful. When it comes to gratitude, mindfulnesses allow us to focus on the good and to be present in the moment. We can also take the moment to imagine a specific situation we are grateful for and let the feeling grow and be stronger. Mindfulness practices emphasizing gratitude can help us stay in touch with all we have to be grateful for.
- Focus more on others’ intentions.When you receive a gift or a gracious gesture from someone, consider how they intended to bring good into your life. Take a moment to visualize their wiliness to help you, make you feel happy, or be there for you in a challenging moment.
To have people who care about you and that you care for; to have your health, even partially; and, to have interests and the ability to pursue them, even sporadically; are reasons to be fortunate, blessed and grateful. ~ Dr. Jason N. Linder, Psy.D., LMFT
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