Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions that you can experience. It connects you to what is truly important in your life. It reminds you that as long as you’re breathing, everything is going to be okay. It also helps frame your day, your expectations, and your actions. Additionally, consistent expressions of gratitude will help you to build better relationships and connections. Here are five ways you can invite more gratitude into your life.
2. Keep a Gratitude Journal
Gratitude journals became popular about ten years ago. A gratitude journal is a daily practice where you write down several things you’re grateful for every day.
1. Do Something Nice for a Stranger as an act of kindness!
Gratitude is an emotion that resonates deep inside all of us. It makes us feel good, hopeful and connected to others.
There are many ways to express gratitude. To embrace it and feel it regularly, take actions that reinforce the emotion, such as holding the door for someone or offering help when you see someone struggling. If you’re feeling truly generous, pay it forward and buy the coffee for the person in line behind you.
Incorporating this behavior as part of your everyday routine can help change how you interact and engage with the world. It makes you feel more grateful for your life.
You can make it part of your daily routine by writing in your journal first thing in the morning as you look at your day or the last thing you do before you head to bed. There are mobile apps for gratitude journaling, or you can buy a journal. A simple college-ruled notebook works too. It doesn’t have to be fancy.
3. Wear A “No Complaining” Bracelet
Complaining is the opposite of gratitude. And like gratitude, complaining can quickly become a habit. You can break the pattern by wearing a bracelet. The goal is to wear the bracelet on one wrist for thirty days. But if you complain, you have to move it to your other wrist and start over.
You might be surprised how difficult it can be to keep complaints to yourself for 30 whole days! By the end of the challenge, hopefully, your mindset will have changed, and you’ll be more grateful and able to focus on the good that exists all around you.
4. Do Something That Brings You Joy in your life
It’s easier to feel grateful when you have joy in your life. And of course, some days, weeks, (or even years like 2020) can be more complicated than others. However, there’s an opportunity to find joy in each day.
Try listening to your favorite song and dance or sing along at the top of your voice. You can also go for a walk and enjoy nature. If you have some free time on your hands, consider signing up for a virtual class to learn a new skill, or find a new hobby.
5. Practice Forgiving Yourself or Someone Else
Forgiveness is powerful. It releases anger, hurt, and frustration from you and makes room for positive emotions like gratitude. If you find that you are still hurting or upset from something that someone else did to you, spend some time thinking about how that anger and hurt you.
Release the hurt by choosing to forgive the other person. Say the words “I forgive you” out loud. And if you’re angry with yourself about something, release it by accepting you did your best at the time. Give yourself permission to grow from the experience and move forward in gratitude.
Other forms of gratitude include simply saying Thank You, donating your time, giving to charity or those in need, giving out compliments, sending out hand-written Thank You notes, or simply reconnecting with friends and family to remind you of the wonderful people you have in your life.
The great thing about gratitude is that once you invite it into your life, it is easier to make it a part of your every day. A few simple steps can help you ask more of this fantastic emotion into your life. Try one of these ideas today and enjoy.
