Tomorrow is American Thanksgiving, which means many of us are talking about all that we are grateful for! The good news is practicing gratitude can be an excellent way to boost your own optimism, improve your relationships, build resilience, and increase your mental and physical health! How cool is that!
Here are some tips for practicing gratitude in your own life:
- Write it down – Take a few minutes each day, to write down three things you are grateful for. It can be anything, but keeping a daily gratitude journal has been linked to reduced matarialism and increased generosity in adolescents.
- Say it out loud – Gratitude is best when it’s not kept to yourself. When you feel a sense of appreciation, make sure you take a moment to share it with others. Saying thank you not only boosts your own health and happiness it has also been linked to improving relationships.
- Practice the reframe – When you face challenging situations it can be helpful to practice reframing your thinking. When you’re frustrated, pause and reframe your thoughts. Look for something you can be grateful for within the challenges you are facing. (Sometimes easier said than done). Reframing negative thinking into positive thoughts can help to excercise your gratitude muscles and improve your mood.
- Spend time with those you love – Spending time with others helps provides opportunities for experiencing gratitude. Strong relationships are also linked to improved health and happiness.
- Ask others to share their gratitude with you – Hearing why others are grateful can also improve our own gratitude. Gratitude has a ripple effect and it not only affects the person sharing the gratitude, but also those witnessing it.
What are you grateful for?
Great ideas like these! And particularly this year, my family’s good health and the science that has made it possible.
Thanks, Kate for sharing! 🙂