This Is Why You Need To Practice Gratitude

“Gratitude is the ability to experience life as a gift.”

—  John Ortberg (Zito, 2022).

Let’s start with an experiment.

Take a jar. Each night before bed, write down at least one good thing that happened that day or a positive thing someone said to you on a small piece of paper. Fold the paper and drop it into the jar like a piggy bank. Try to do this every day in a year.

On the night of December 31, take out all the notes from the jar and read them. You’ll realize, you’ve had a pretty amazing year.

Gratitude means appreciating the good things in life. But it’s not about saying “thank you” or “thank god” only.

According to the American Psychological Association, it’s feeling happy and thankful when something good happens or when you receive a gift.

It doesn’t have to be big things like winning a prize or getting a job promotion—it’s also about enjoying small moments, like chatting with a friend, having coffees, feeling a cool breeze, or taking a peaceful walk.

But in the competitive world, it’s difficult to practice gratitude. We often focus on the bad stuff and forget to appreciate the good, like worrying more about dreading Mondays  than enjoying Saturday night or Sunday to the fullest.

However, once you practice gratitude, it really boosts your mood, helps you think more positively, strengthens your relationships, and makes you feel better about yourself.

The Psychology of Gratitude

Dr. Robert Emmons describes two aspects of gratitude:

First, recognizing the good things in your life and acknowledging their value and the effort behind them.

Second, understanding that these good things come from outside yourself—like from others, the world, or a higher power—not just from within.

In a 2003 study, Emmons and McCullough also found that people who regularly wrote down things they were thankful for felt better mentally and physically.

They had a more positive outlook on life and dealt with fewer physical symptoms and stress compared to those who focused on daily problems or neutral events.

So, it’s not the competition, but the contribution, recognition, and reflection. That’s where the true power of gratitude lies.

Advantages Of Practicing Gratitude:

Though, it sounds like a bold claim but a little gratitude can do wonders in your life, for example —

• Mood Improvement :

Shifts focus on positive aspects, triggering serotonin and dopamine release.

• Stress Reduction:

Lowers stress hormones, decreasing anxiety and depression.

• Sleep Enhancement:

Linked to better sleep quality and fewer disturbances.

• Focus Boost:

Promotes positive outlook, enhancing resilience and task focus.

• Self-Esteem Boost:

Acknowledges personal worth and value, enhancing self-esteem.

• Relationship Enhancement:

Strengthens bonds and encourages prosocial behavior.

How To Practice Gratitude

To cultivate the power of gratitude, just follow these simple things —

• Contribute:

Acknowledge and appreciate the kindness of others. Actively look for ways to give back and contribute positively.

• Take Action:

Show proactive acts of kindness and generosity. Share the light of gratitude by being a source of positivity and goodwill.

• Reflect and Reciprocate:

Reflect on the goodness you receive and reciprocate it by spreading positivity. Think it this way, either be a candle that spreads light, or be a mirror that helps the candle spread its light more through reflection.

• Practice mindfulness:

Slow down and savor moments like enjoying a ripe strawberry or feeling the warmth of the sun. This grounds you in the present and shifts focus from negativity.

• Keep a gratitude journal:

Maintain an online or offline journal to write at least one sentence about the good things that happen to you.

• Write notes of appreciation:

Strengthen relationships with thank-you letters. Recall cherished memories and express verbal appreciation for loved ones regularly.

Consistent practice is the key.

So, why not start today and observe how your life begins to change?