Thank You. They may seem like two simple words put one after another, but the feeling behind them is powerful. If expressed, it can make a friend of a stranger, a smile out of a frown, and ecstasy out of apathy. There’s nothing better than feeling good, and nothing better than sharing it with the people around you! Let’s learn a little more about gratitude and how to better channel it for a more wholesome life.
Gratitude is that emotion that signifies a presence of sincere thankfulness and appreciation for someone (even ourselves!) who has benefited us in some way. The feeling when mom turns up with cut up fruits, or when dad buys 50 of those items that you like which you offhandedly mentioned once 10 years ago, or when your friend randomly checks up on you. It’s a warm feeling, but it does more than that!
Research shows that
- Gratitude has a positive relationship (meaning as gratitude increases, so do these aspects) with positive affect (feeling good), life satisfaction, and forgiveness.
- It has a negative relationship (meaning when gratitude increases, these behaviours decrease) with substance abuse, and unstable emotions.
- It also has a negative relationship with anxiety and depression.
- It improves physical health, and psychological health.
- It enhances empathy and self-esteem, and reduces aggression.
- It improves sleep.
- It even helps make friends and the list is endless!
It is a potent emotion, which when incorporated in our lives can lead to a general feeling of fullness. It reinvigorates our will to live, and does so marvellously! A human that feels gratitude is likelier to give back to society, and do so happily.
How can we cultivate this magical emotion in our lives so we may avail its endless benefits? Great question! That’s why we’re here. Following are some ways you can practise gratitude and make it an integral part of your beautiful existence. The exercises can be tweaked to make it as simple or complex as you want, depending on your mood and needs. In fact, please feel free to build on them and find your own unique ways to practise gratitude!
#1 Gratitude Jar
Requirements: All you need for this is a jar/box, paper, pen, and any decorating items that you want.
Step 1: Find a Jar/Box
Step 2: Take the jar and decorate it to your liking. You can paint it, use glitter, stick beads or stickers on it, or whatever else you can think of! Remember there is no wrong or right, as long as you enjoy it and find it beautiful, that’s all that matters!
Step 3: Everyday, or as often as you desire, write down whatever you’re grateful for on a slip of paper and deposit it into the jar. It could be events that you’re thankful for, or people, or even gestures or support that you feel grateful for.
The idea is to cultivate a sense of gratitude and remind ourselves of the many people, and things in our life that matter to us. That makes life beautiful! And if ever you find yourself down in the dumps, the jar will be there to remind you. With its chits, little secrets from our past self, we will remind ourselves of the beauty of life.
#2 Gratitude Rock
Requirements: A rock; preferably one that you can carry around in your pocket. It can even be a small object that you can safely carry around. Hear us out before you dismiss this one!
Step 1: Find a rock from your surroundings. A rock that appeals to you. It can range from the colour of the rock to the texture or shape of the rock. It can even be a “just cause I like it!”
Step 2: Whenever you touch the rock, or see it, or feel it, or even think about it, pause for a couple of minutes and think of a couple of events/people/things that you’re grateful for in that moment.
The rock becomes the very symbol of gratitude and physically reminds you of it whenever you encounter it. You can also think about what you’re grateful for in your day when the rock is taken out of the pocket at the end of the day, or put in it at the start. Repeat these reminders as often as you want/need! It will not only help you practise gratitude but also return you to the present moment! And you will eventually notice that your day has become more positive on average because of this exercise!
#3 Gratitude Walk
Requirements: Any tool to combat the weather (like an umbrella, or jacket), a pair of comfortable footwear, and a road to walk on.
Step 1: Get Ready for the Walk
Step 2: Walk! As you walk, observe the pleasant things around you, the mischievous clouds, the wise trees, the enticing aromas, the firm sensation of your feet as they land on the path.
You may wonder that you’ve walked several times, how would that help? The idea is to walk with a purpose in mind. Research shows that walking is therapeutic in itself and has benefits like decreased stress, increased heart health, and improves circulation in the body, and decreases blood pressure. Couple this with a mindset focusing on gratitude, and this combination is bound to nurture a more positive mind and body. You may even enjoy this exercise with a loved one!
For those of you wondering “all these exercises feel unnatural and forced”, they may feel like that in the beginning. Just like learning any new skill, these exercises will also have a period where you may feel like you’re pretending. But with time, and patience those feelings will fade and only gratitude and its many benefits will remain. So try these exercises out or make some new ones!
References
- https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises/
- https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-appreciation/