How and why to practice gratitude
Before I get started today and forget all about it, I want to invite you to sign up for the Falling for Fall challenge, which will take place from October 6-10. It’s an online event, it’s entirely free, and anyone in the wide world can join in and take part. Be sure to read to the bottom of this post for more info!
If you are experiencing bad things in your life, or are a cynic (like I used to be, back in the day), then talking about gratitude practice probably sounds unattainable or possibly like a pointless, stupid exercise to you. You are 100% entitled to your opinion about it, of course. You don’t have to try it.
But maybe before you write it off, ask yourself if things are 100% great if (or when) you don’t do it.
The thing is, gratitude practice is a way of forcing yourself to look for the good things in life, as I discussed in last week’s tip. Looking for small joys, little things that brighten your day, means you notice them when they happen, and maybe appreciate them throughout the day. All of that boosts your mood (and raises your energetic vibration).
It’s no coincidence that gratitude is part of most spiritual practices, including those within and outside of organized religion. Gratitude practice is also recommended by many in the field of psychology, since our thoughts help to govern our moods (and therefore our sense of well-being).
If you are willing to give it a go, or want a different way of doing it than you are familiar with, this is for you.
Here are a couple of ways to try out a “formal” gratitude practice:
Get a journal or notebook out. Sit down with it at least once a day, and write down what you’re grateful for. You can write down whatever comes to mind, or you can set a goal of a certain number of things you want to list off. Popular choices for numbers include 3, 5, and 10. I don’t think there is any true magic to those numbers, just that folks are looking for “more than one”.
The higher the number, the harder you have to work for it, so bear that in mind. If you really want to boost your energetic vibe, more is better. But more can also be more challenging, so my suggestion is that you not be too rigid with yourself on this. If your goal is five and you can only come up with 3 or 4, that’s okay. If your goal is 10 and you stop at 7 or go to 12, that’s okay, too.
If you are in a bit of a depression at present, set a low number for yourself at first (like 1-5), just so you can find some success and not make the whole thing into another onerous task you “have to” do.
Think back over the day once you are in bed, looking for all the good things or small things you might be grateful for. Maybe you got terrible news about a friend; it might still prompt gratitude for that person, or for your own situation. Maybe you hate your home—you can still be grateful to have a roof over your head. Maybe the good things from the day are BIG things: you won an award, got a book published, or received money; but maybe they are super small, like “my partner remembered to replace the roll of toilet paper” or “my cat/dog made me laugh”. It all counts, so think through the day that just passed, looking for the good things
Keep a tally throughout the day. Use the notes function in your phone or a small notebook to write down good things you notice as they happen. At the end of the day, go back to read all the things on your list.
If you are a person who prays, incorporate your gratitude practice into your prayer practice.
Not every technique works for everyone. Also, you may find that the one that worked for you before (say, thinking through your day) doesn’t work when you’re super stressed, so you may want to switch it up.
Again, the idea is to focus on things for which you are grateful, and to remember the small things (silly cat, found a penny on my walk) as well as the large (wonderful spouse, kids are healthy). Don’t forget to be grateful for your own personal gifts. Maybe you figured something out today, or you didn’t lose your temper, or you just want to express gratitude for a body that supports you or a brain that keeps on ticking.
I hope you will try it and see how it goes for you. Here’s a PDF journaling page to get you started.
Drop me a comment here and let me know!
Some things I’m grateful for in the past week (in no particular order):
my biopsy results from my endoscopy came back and all is well
the weather is autumnal and our windows have been open
I love the sound of our wind chimes and of the crickets and birds outside
our Rosh Hashanah dinner was sooo good (brisket, noodle kugel, broccoli, home-baked challah, apples with honey)
Morris can now walk at least twice as fast as before he got new knees
Rosh Hashanah services on Zoom were remarkably endearing and charming, despite a few glitches
I baked a Chai Spiced Pound Cake and it is tasty
My appearance on the Rah Rah Podcast is available and I don’t sound as awkward as I feared I might. I’m talking about decluttering gifts, people (yes, really), beliefs and STUFF.
We got our shipment from Robledo Family Winery and it brings us joy to drink the good wine and remember our visit to the vineyard, and our trip to San Francisco (in May of 2019).
I’ve written about gratitude practice or gratitude journaling a few times before.
You can check out these prior posts for more inspiration:
It’s a free, 5-day event that is all about noticing what is around us, right now. To slow ourselves down for just a few minutes each day, and to appreciate the small joys that autumn brings.
Participate from anywhere in the world. Free! No cost. A gift from me…to you.
Here’s what’s happening during the Falling for Fall Challenge:
Daily emails with a fun assignment
Short, daily Facebook lives to get you focused and grounded
A five-day “bingo” challenge.
By the end of this Challenge, you will feel grounded, and hopefully a bit more relaxed. If you get "bingo" in the Falling for Fall Challenge, you will be eligible to win one of three Starbucks gift cards, so you can enjoy a PSL or other fall beverage as my gift!
Wondering about the time commitment?
All you need is about 20 minutes per day. I’ve designed the Falling for Fall Challenge to be really simple and uncomplicated. Beautiful results from very little time.
