Author: Dr Steve Hickman
With the holidays approaching, it’s worth stepping back for a moment and reflecting on why the centerpiece of our celebrations, family gatherings and delicious food traditions is expressing gratitude for our many blessings. We take these opportunities to stop and consider how lucky we are, largely because we tend not to do it much the rest of the year!
Think about it: how often do you pause and simply feel gratitude for the privileges and gifts, even the seemingly little things, that are part of your everyday life? The smell of fresh-brewed coffee in the morning, the fresh water that flows from your tap, the wheels on your suitcase or the presence of your beloved beside you on the couch while you binge-watch Ted Lasso again on your big TV. These are simple things that we often overlook, sometimes until they aren’t available (think of people in Western North Carolina after the hurricane, for example).
So we set aside a designated time each year to re-remind us to pause, take stock of where we are and what we have, and to overcome our natural tendency to take things for granted. It’s a delightful time and it re-energizes us and deepens our sense of connection with each other, which makes it almost a spiritual practice in some regards. But why stop there?
When you pause to be grateful for the meal in front of you, that gratitude naturally includes the person who prepared it, but also the farmers and workers who grew and harvested the food, the people who drove the trucks that transported it to the store, the store employees who placed it where you could purchase it, etc etc. And you can even have a sense of nature and the water, air, nutrients and sunshine that nourished and grew the food. This sense of interconnectedness is the heart of gratitude, reminding us that everything in our lives is there because of a whole collection of causes and conditions that made it so. This is a deeply satisfying awareness that helps us feel like a part of something bigger than ourselves.
So it feels good to practice gratitude, but there is also solid science behind actually finding the time and cultivating the intention to practice gratitude on a regular basis rather than only at specific predefined times like the holidays. But beyond feeling good, the practice of gratitude has been shown scientifically to have positive effects on mood, health, prosocial behavior and a number of other positive human qualities. Emerging research is also showing that regular practice of gratitude may contribute to reduced stress, lower blood pressure, improved sleep quality, and potentially enhanced immune function.
So how might you begin to cultivate a regular practice of gratitude and develop an “attitude of gratitude” in your daily life? It’s pretty simple, actually. Here are a few suggestions of specific activities that have been shown to increase gratitude:
Gratitude Journaling: Dedicate a few minutes each day to write down three things you’re grateful for.
Meditation: Focus on the present moment and express gratitude for the simple things in life.
Evening Reflection: Before bed, reflect on the positive aspects of your day.
Cultivating gratitude can also come in more informal ways by weaving it into your regular daily life. You can intentionally, verbally express gratitude to others, whether it’s a simple “thank you” or a heartfelt message. Some find that practicing “random acts of kindness” boosts a sense of gratitude. Savoring positive experiences by pausing to simply notice the pleasantness of things like the softness of your cat’s fur to the first sip of coffee can help you appreciate these often fleeting moments of pleasure. Simply taking a walk in nature and noticing the sights, sounds and smells often fosters a sense of gratitude for our senses and all that the world has to offer.
Start small with cultivating gratitude and follow the advice of poet Mark Nepo, who says “The key to knowing joy is to be easily pleased.” By keeping the task of gratitude small and accessible, you can build it into your routine and weave it into the fabric of your life. You’ll be glad you did!