I recently read an article about the power of practising gratitude and the impact it can have on our happiness, and wanted to share with you some of the main points. Hopefully there are one or two take aways that you may find helpful as you navigate the everyday commitments of work, school and family life.
Showing gratitude, and ‘counting your blessings’ has consistently been associated with greater happiness in positive psychology research. The good news is, even if it doesn’t come naturally to be optimistic and cheerful, you can learn gratitude through practice.
As outlined in this article by Robert Emmons, here are 10 every day ways to become more grateful:
- Keep a daily gratitude journal and remind yourself of the good things you enjoy.
- Remember the hard times that you once experienced so you can appreciate the now.
- Ask yourself “What have I received from __?”, “What have I given to __?”, and “What troubles and difficulty have I caused?”
- Learn and practice Prayers of Gratitude
- Notice your senses (ability to touch, see, smell, taste, hear) and appreciate what an incredible miracle it is to be alive.
- Use visual reminders to cue thoughts of gratitude.
- Commit to practicing gratitude and write it down.
- Use positive language – gifts, givers, blessings, blessed, fortune, fortunate, and abundance.
- Smile, say thank you, tell people you’re grateful for them (try an email thanking someone today!).
- Always look for opportunities to feel grateful.
Leon Bolding
Principal