If you asked me to share the one daily action you could take that would substantially change your life, my answer would be simple: Cultivate Gratitude.
If you search “Science” and “Gratitude” on the internet, you’ll find that institutions from UC Berkeley to Forbes have weighed in, and studies have been published in all sorts of academic journals. The official verdict is in: Gratitude isn’t just a Moral Good. It’s Good FOR You.
Among the most powerful benefits of gratitude are increased resilience following stressful events (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology), better physical health (2012 study published in Personality and Individual Differences), better mental health, and reduction of stress hormone levels. Improved relationships seems like an obvious gimme.
Those of us on a path of awakening and awareness probably don’t need the scientific confirmation of the benefits of gratitude, but we all do well with a reminder. As with all spiritual practices, gratitude is a practice, requiring, you guessed it, practice. That practice becomes easier, stronger, and more natural as we make it a part of our daily routine.
I personally use two types of gratitude practice. The first is simply adding gratitude to my awareness in the present moment. For instance, while doing the dishes, I focus on my action and remind myself of my gratitude for the food that was cooked and enjoyed at the last meal, my gratitude for hot running water, and my gratitude that I am standing on my own two feet with the physical health to do my dishes.
The second type is cultivating a written gratitude practice. Every morning I take a few minutes to jot down at least three things for which I am grateful. They can be simple things: the sunshine, my home, the health of my loved ones. I don’t struggle to write new or unique things each day. I contemplate for a few minutes on the previous day or the day before me and allow events of my life to bring new gratitude into my awareness.
I use a special notebook for my gratitude journal. The texture, color, and pattern are pleasing to me. I reserve the book for only gratitude journaling. And when I’m sad, discouraged, or in other ways not feeling my best, I know I can go to my gratitude journal, open it up, and be reminded of the amazing life with which I have been blessed.
I begin every sentence with “I am so grateful for…” and I end my journaling by writing “Thank you” at least twice. When we use the words “Thank you”, we are acknowledging the contribution of something greater than ourselves: God, Source, the Universe. Saying Thank You is a reminder that we did not create these things or earn these things alone. Who among us can make a sunny day? I can’t. But I can be grateful for it.
It’s very important to take the time to write your gratitudes out by hand. Writing engages different parts of the brain than typing, and when we write by hand, we tend to be more thoughtful and more engaged. We also process and integrate what we write. Writing by hand helps us remember the things we have written. It also helps us believe them.
As with positive affirmations, writing down the things that we are grateful for is a powerful act of confirmation. When we think the words, then write the words, and then read the words, we are bringing those feelings into being. And as we begin to focus our energy on gratitude, our brains will naturally begin filtering all of the input around us, looking for things to be grateful for. As we know, what we pay attention to in our lives, grows.
Finally, don’t keep all this gratitude to yourself. Spread it around. Share your gratitude with other people. Find at least three things to thank others for each day, either in person or via phone or email. Even a text message is meaningful. Thanking others builds relationships, self-esteem, and a positive feedback loop. When you genuinely thank people, it makes them feel good. They’ll naturally want to do more things that will bring thanks their way.
Gratitude is a habit. Start today, right now, and write down at least three things you are grateful for, every single day, for three weeks. Twenty-one days. And watch the miracles unfold in your life.
Namaste.