The Gratitude Advantage

"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

Gratitude is an emotion we all have. It's how we feel when we're thankful for something in our life. Think right now about something for which you're grateful. The thing can be small, like how the air smells after rain, or larger, like food in the refrigerator, a car, friends, or your existence.

Gratitude is also being aware of and recognizing the good in your life. When you express gratitude, you acknowledge there is good in your life. This good could be in you, around you, or in the world.

When we express feelings of gratitude, it changes how we feel.

If we're not careful, negative thoughts and words can easily seep into our hearts and minds. Many people appear to focus on the negative aspects of life. It's all around us; in the news, social media, and daily conversations.

Despite all that we encounter, gratitude's emotion and expression can greatly diminish all that negativity.

Many studies have explored how gratitude has impacted our lives over the past twenty years.

The findings of this research are remarkable. People who regularly practice expressing gratitude are reported to:

·????????Have increased joy, satisfaction, and feelings of optimism

·????????Be less anxious and have less depression

·????????Possess more robust immune systems, lower blood pressure, and are sick less often

·????????Sleep more and achieve more satisfying sleep

·????????Recover more rapidly from challenges and traumatic incidents

·????????Enjoy more fulfilling relationships

·????????Feel a deeper connection to the people in our community

Gratitude can change the perspective that we have in our life. When we can notice the things for which we are grateful, we:

• Have more agency and feel like less of a victim. Blaming others is significantly reduced. Instead of looking at what we may have lost or don't have, we can reframe the situation, focus on what we have, and move forward.
• Show up with a more open heart. Expressing gratitude helps us to become more empathetic and compassionate. We can connect with others more easily and feel that life is much more rewarding.
• Approach life with a glass-half-full mindset. We can recognize and appreciate the things and people in our lives instead of the items and people that aren't. As our awareness of the positive in our life increases, the good and positive of our life will grow.
• Create a virtuous cycle. The more we notice and express gratitude for the things in our lives, the more we attract things we are grateful for. It's common to attract people and experiences based on what we expect. If we expect good things to happen, more good things appear.

In short, people with a regular gratitude practice report experiencing a better quality of life.

The idea of practicing gratitude starts with forming a habit. For many of us, the easiest and most effective method to create a ritual around appreciation is to use a gratitude journal. Journaling is writing down the things and people you're grateful for daily.

Many people choose to journal when things are quiet. Typically, these times are in the early morning or late at night. Keep your journal next to your bedside so that when you wake in the morning, you can quickly jot down your expressions of gratitude. Of course, this can also happen before you sleep at the end of your day.

You can journal anywhere and anytime. The idea is to add it to your day seamlessly. If journaling on your lunch break works for you and helps you have a more positive afternoon and evening, then journal at lunch.

Many people prefer to journal on paper. They handwrite their expressions of gratitude. Writing it down seems to substantially impact your brain and mindset more than dictating your gratitude thoughts or typing them onto your computer or mobile device. The act of writing establishes a link between your thoughts and the words you write in your journal.

This advice doesn't mean that you shouldn't use a digital journal. If typing gratitude into a computer or dictating works for you, then do that. The goal is to become more attentive and express gratitude for things in your life, not the form of your expression.

The Power of the Journal

Journaling is the first phase of establishing a gratitude mindset. The goal isn't to be grateful for the time you are writing in your journal. The goal is to transform how you think so that gratitude is your natural thought process and response to life.

Writing in a journal helps you build a daily habit. Thinking about gratitude once or twice daily will become ingrained in your mind. The longer you do it, the more automatic it becomes.

Once your gratitude practice grows into a daily habit, your thoughts will shift. Continue to use your journal, and those changes in your mindset will become even more entrenched.

Attributes Needed to Start a Gratitude Journal

There are some things to remember when you start your gratitude journal, but not all are requirements. But it's a good idea to have a plan in place. It will make your gratitude practice more comfortable and more fruitful.

Patience

It takes practice to shift your mindset, thoughts, and beliefs. It'd be fantastic if you could go to bed one night with the world's burdens on your shoulders and wake up the next day feeling light as a feather with no cares in the world. But it's not an overnight process that usually doesn't happen. Instead, it's a gradual shift over time. You'll feel lighter, more appreciative, and happier as your practice continues. Be patient with yourself and trust the process. Remember, it's called a gratitude practice for a reason.

Routine

What matters more than when your journal is that you can make it part of your daily life.

You might write in your journal in the morning with a cup of coffee. Maybe you use your journal at night after you get ready for bed but before you close your eyes. To make this a habit, you must integrate it into your daily life at a regular time each day.

Materials

Choose the materials that you're most comfortable using. Tablets, laptops, and computers are just as valid as a notebook or leather-bound book. Make your choice something that sparks joy in you and helps you blend this new habit into your life.

Quiet Time

Expressing your gratitude in your journal should be done when you are not interrupted and free from distractions. Time without interruptions will allow you to reflect, gather your thoughts, and explore your feelings.

Sources of Gratitude

When you begin your practice, it's not unusual to feel challenged. You might find yourself sitting and staring at an empty page. You may feel exhausted or had a bad day. You may feel like you've run out of things for which to be grateful. You might feel like you've covered all the essential things in your life, and now you're thinking about expressing gratitude for lint rollers and spoons.

That's perfectly fine. In fact, finding gratitude for seemingly insignificant things in our life is an effective way to build your gratitude muscles. There's nothing too small to notice and find a reason to be grateful for it.

When you take time to look around and reflect on yourself, your life, your day, and your surroundings, you'll never run out of things that deserve your gratitude. Here's a gratitude journal that includes a list of prompts to help you when you get stuck. Strive to write down 3-5 things you're thankful to have in your life. Be consistent, and your practice will become a natural part of your day faster. There is no right or wrong way to practice gratitude. The power is in the practice itself.

I’m?helping social impact organizations Thrive in Chaos by providing the mindsets, skillsets, and toolsets leaders need to make an impact and organizations need to be sustainable. You can find more useful insights at The Ampersand, on Instagram,?and?on LinkedIn.