What is gratitude?

The word gratitude is derived from the Latin word gratia, meaning grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. If you read the Oxford Dictionary, you will find the definition of gratitude as ‘the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.’

Gratitude is a positive emotion and one that is associated with a whole host of wellbeing benefits. It comes from the recognition of something good being in your life, whether that be a person, an object, a feeling, or an experience. Gratitude may fluctuate over time, and sometimes it might seem hard to find anything to be grateful for. However, if you nurture an attitude of practicing gratitude daily, then it can become easier to experience more often.

What are the benefits of gratitude?

In positive psychology research, “gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships”.

We know that the feeling of happiness releases ‘happy hormones’ such as dopamine and serotonin. And, by focussing on things that we are grateful for, however small they might be, we are naturally boosting our overall sense of wellbeing and reducing feelings of stress. Having less stress in our body can, in turn, boost our immune response and our ability to fight off illness and disease.

In 2020, a piece of research called the Journal of Happiness Studies showed that regularly practicing gratitude can help ease symptoms of anxiety and depression. It makes sense that focussing on positive aspects of life can certainly lift our spirits and improve our mood, also distracting us from slipping into more negative thought patterns. Unfortunately, our brains are wired to focus on the negatives, but with practice, we can break out of negative thinking, to build a new, more positive mindset.

As Neuroscientist Rick Hanson writes in his book Buddha’s Brain, “The brain is like Velcro for negative experiences and Teflon for positive ones.” That’s why we need to keep re-iterating gratitude daily in order for it to stick better!

How can I practice gratitude in my daily life?  

Practicing gratitude can form part of your regular wellbeing ritual. It should be an enjoyable practice, and one which shouldn’t feel like a chore. Choosing how to practice gratitude is a personal preference, and there is no wrong or right way to do it, however, there are some useful exercises that many of my clients have found helpful to follow.

Keeping a gratitude diary can be a great place to start and is one of the most popular ways to practice gratitude daily. At the end of each day, whether it was a particularly good or not-so-good one, write down at least 3 things that you were grateful for. Perhaps it was a smile that a young child gave you in the street, perhaps it was a cuddle from your dog or a particularly good coffee that you drank in a café. The details don’t matter and there is no limit on how many forms of gratitude you list.

If you already keep a diary, then you could add a section to your existing notes focussing on your favourite moments from the day to wrap up the day’s entry. Writing these notes right at the end of the day is also likely to help you sleep better as you drift off in a more positive mood.

If you are a visual person, then you might want to create a gratitude board somewhere in your house that you regularly view. You could stick photos of moments you are grateful for on the fridge or stick written memories on post-it notes around the house. Perhaps you could even create a framed gratitude collage somewhere if you are feeling extra creative.

Meditation also helps you to focus deeper on things you are grateful for. It can also be a great way to start the day with a positive outlook. You can take a guided meditation, which you can find online or via Apps such as Calm, or Headspace. Alternatively, just take five or ten quiet minutes to be still and reflect on one particular thing that you are grateful for. Think about the reasons why you are grateful for this particular thing, and how it makes you feel when you think about it. This puts the present into context and allows you to clearly see it, helping you feel grateful for what brought you to this point.

Practicing gratitude can be a beneficial daily ritual with many benefits. I would love to hear how you are getting on with your gratitude practice and how it might be benefitting your physical and mental health. Feel free to get in touch and drop me an email at patti.hemmings@hotmail.com