What are the benefits of being grateful for life experiences? Grateful people are happier and have a more optimistic lookout on life. Living with a grateful attitude your positive experiences are enhanced, you generally notice more positive events. You perceive all moments as new which enables you to live in the present moment. It makes you increasingly value life, people, small tokens and expressions. If you manage to maintain a mindset where you take nothing for granted, neither good or bad, you maintain a sense of curiosity of life.
Studies show that grateful people practice more self-care meaning that the value of sleep, nutrition, exercise, being kind to oneself and others is heightened. Living gratefully you become more of a participant in your own life, feelings of social connection rise as well compassion for others. It becomes more natural to help others.
You cannot live with a grateful mindset if you have negative thoughts, constant worrying, self-blame, feelings of envy; you just cannot be grateful at the same time. With grateful mind you interpret events in a more positive way helping you to grow and become more stress-resilient learning how to overcome adversity. Because with an attitude of gratitude you find new paths or perspectives to help you to reframe hardship to new possibilities. Thus, gratitude has the power to heal and bring hope to our lives at hard times. It gives you mental strength and brings you ease facing difficulties.
“Joy is the simplest form of gratitude.” -Karl Barth
How to implement an attitude of gratitude to your life?
Gratitude is a skill you can learn. With grateful eyes you appreciate life and all little things every moment. It brings joy to learn to enjoy what you can do for others and for this world. With gratitude you have a sense of curiosity to life, people, events and things. It is about being thankful. Find best ways for you to deepen your way of living with gratitude to bring joy and happiness for you and people around you.
Gratitude journal
Write three set evenings a week five things you are grateful for. Let each of them be new things. You may want to continue your sentences “I am grateful for…, because…”. That makes you express more in detail what it is you are grateful for.
Express gratitude
This can be a simple thank you to someone making your day. Or, you can write a gratitude letter or email to a person who has had a positive impact on your life telling them what you are grateful for. It may be that they are not even aware of what they have done for you. You can also make a phone call, but the effect tends to be more powerful when you express your gratitude in person saying or for example hand delivering a letter of gratitude.
Count your blessings
As you wake up in the morning notice all you are grateful for at that moment. Give yourself time to cherish each source.
Gratitude walk
Have a walk outdoors even for fifteen minutes and just observe all things around you. Feeling your feet on the ground, notice what you smell, feel on your skin, what you hear or touch. Merely observe and recognize what is there.
“Walk as if you are kissing the Earth with your feet.” ― Thich Nhat Hanh
Meditation on gratitude
Meditating focusing on each person or thing in your life what you are grateful for . Give each source of gratitude some time and think carefully all the reasons to be careful for. If you prefer use guided meditations, for example Loving Kindness Meditation.
Giving back
You can learn to cultivate a skill for giving back to people. You can practice small or big acts of kindness in everyday life. The impact of good deeds or words are felt within receiver and giver. It is a really simple proactive way to bring happiness to life.
“At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us”
– Albert Schweitzer
Start cultivating gratitude in your life today for example using ways described above. Appreciating each moment and taking nothing for granted. Feelings for social connection rise as well as compassion for others as you live with grateful eyes. It becomes more natural to feel compassionate and help others. Gratitude gives you power to heal and find new perspectives as you learn to reframe hardship to opportunities and hope. Remember to celebrate all blessings, feelings of connection and say thanks. Train yourself to be happier, healthier and more joyful.
What ways can you cultivate gratitude today?