Chances are, you’ve heard about practicing gratitude and have even tried it or maybe it’s a regular practice.  Gratitude practice is mentioned in many spiritual and religious scriptures. There’s also more and more research out there that shows all the positive benefits in mind and body health by cultivating an outlook of gratitude. Keep reading for a powerful gratitude practice.

GRATITUDE BACKED BY SCIENCE

Some research:

– In a 2010 research study by Wood et al, first year university students who were “higher in gratitude,” ended up being less stressed, less depressed and had higher perceived social support at the end of their first term.”

– In a 2009 research study on sleep and gratitude, “concluded that grateful people are more likely to think positive, rather than negative and worrying, thoughts when falling asleep which led them to have a better night’s sleep.”

– A 2002 research study found “that grateful individuals experience more positive emotions, are more satisfied with life, and experience fewer negative emotions including depression, anxiety and envy. Perhaps not surprisingly, more grateful people also tend to be more pro-socially oriented. They are more likely to be empathic, forgiving, helpful and supportive than those who are less grateful.”

Not all gratitude practices are created equal!

I would say in my work as a mental health professional, the practice of gratitude that is most common is simply writing “I am grateful for_____ because _____.”

The research actually shows that for the practice of gratitude, being a little more specific is helpful. There are two areas of gratitude that I learned about from Emily Nagowski and Amelia Nagowski in their book “Burnout” that came from them scouring the research on gratitude.

I’m going to go over ‘the gratitude letter.’ I have done this process the past two years and it has been powerful. The two people I wrote and read my letter to still tell me how much it meant to them, which brings joy to my heart. The gift that keeps on giving!

A GRATITUDE PRACTICE

Since this is the week of Thanksgiving in the US, My challenge to you is to go through this process over the week and see what happens. Here are the steps:

STEP ONE: Reflect on your life and CHOOSE FIVE PEOPLE in your life who have encouraged you, helped you, inspired you, influenced you. These are people in your life who helped to shape WHO YOU ARE TODAY.

STEP TWO: Take that list of five people and choose one of them. Sit down and write them a letter expressing their impact on your life. The WHY in your gratitude towards them. Why are you grateful for them, what have they brought to your life?

STEP THREE: Take the letter you just wrote and are going to read it out loud to that person. You can call them, video call them, record it and send it to them, just let them know…in your own voice…how much they mean to you and the impact on your life.

If your letter is to someone that is no longer alive or might be inaccessible, then choose another person from your list of 5 people you are grateful for, write them a letter and read it out loud to them.

I know this feels VULNERABLE. We are sharing a part of ourselves and this is how connection is strengthened. Remember the last time someone said thank you to you? It feels so good!  Plus, it feels SO GOOD to be the giver and see another person light up!

When I did this last year, it was uplifting for my friend and for myself. It felt so connecting that I was smiling for hours afterwards. Remember, love is contagious, so who knows what this act will lead to.

GRATITUDE AND CONTENTMENT

Think about gratitude as a practice that leads to actions, which lead to a state of being. Contentment is closely linked to gratitude. When we are content with where we are at, who we’ve been that has allowed us to be who we are in this moment, the amazing people we are with, the chance to live this life, and accepting all parts of ourselves, it comes from gratitude.

The second Niyama (ethical principle from Patanjali Yoga Sutras) of Santosha or contentment, invites this practice of gratitude. We can be so in our story of lack, self-doubt, and judgment that we end up not being present to the wonders of now. It’s like walking around with our head buried in a book or focusing on your choice of hand held screen thinking that is life, and then missing actual living that only takes looking up. Wait…isn’t that what most of us are doing? If you’re not feeling relaxed, content and filled with gratitude, it’s time to put down that device for a moment.

We are social creatures that need connection with others and with ourselves. What do you think life would be like if once a week you took a full day to disconnect from screens and were present, curious, and explorative to the present moment? 

Remember, we all already have what we need to heal, learn, and grow into our True Self. We just need to slow down and turn inward to access that inner wisdom.

Namaste,