5 Ways to Show Gratitude And Improve Your Life
Seeing images of devastation in the New York area caused by Hurricane Sandy really puts things in perspective for me. I have new appreciation for electricity, gas, and a roof over my head. I’m so grateful that my friends, family members and pets are safe.
What we appreciate appreciates. In other words, the more grateful we are, the more we have to be grateful for.
I hope I never again lose sight of all the things I have to be thankful for. But this isn’t the first time I’ve said that. Life gets busy. Things don’t always go according to plans, obstacles are thrown in my path, and I forget to be grateful. But it’s so important, for so many reasons.
According to Psychology Today, “Studies show that gratitude not only can be deliberately cultivated but can increase levels of well-being and happiness among those who do cultivate it. In addition, grateful thinking—and especially expression of it to others—is associated with increased levels of energy, optimism, and empathy.”
This time, I want to do things differently, so after some research, I discovered some creative ways to keep an attitude of gratitude alive – no matter what happens. I’m making a commitment to try some of them, and I invite you to join me.
5 Ways to Stay in Gratitude:
- Keep a gratitude journal. Write down every day 3 – 10 things you are grateful for. I’ve done this before and it only takes a few minutes. The key is to do it daily – consistency pays off big time here.
- Write a gratitude letter to someone who has made a difference in your life. You may want to go even further and read them the letter in person. Powerful stuff.
- Go 21 days without complaining, criticizing or gossiping. Okay, this is a real challenge for most people; but setting the intention and bringing it into your awareness will at least reduce the amount of times you resort to these deflating and damaging behaviors. Keeping an elastic band around your wrist or a bracelet you don’t normally wear every day can act as a good reminder.
- One idea I really love is to create a charm bracelet with different charms representing the things you are most grateful for, .i.e. a heart to represent love. (Pandora makes beautiful ones – a great gift idea too).
- Use social media to share one thing every day that you are grateful for. Not only will this hold you accountable, you’ll also positively influence those in your online community. It’s a win/win.
I’m sure there are many other ways to stay focused on gratitude, and if you have any, I hope you will share your wisdom in the comment section below. Once we get used to looking for things to be grateful for, we start to appreciate the simple pleasures and the little things we took for granted. Let’s do this together and watch how our lives get better. (And to everyone affected by the Superstorm, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you).
Awesome Hellen…I even go so far as to say why Im grateful…It works if you work it. All of a sudden we are looking at things differently. A small thing that can change our whole perspective…
great blog Hellen… yes Shy buster is so right! I just started again with the daily listing of 10 things for which to be grateful and it’s a friend who suggested to add the why. I swear it brings the exercise to a deeper level at least for me. For those who may be feeling they have no time to sit and write… suggestion… do it anywhere… just commit to do it daily… in the lineup doing groceries, stuck in traffic, in shower, doing dishes… it’s a great way to interupt negative thinking which sometimes seems to just crop up during those mooments anyway 😉
Each morning as I awake I look to the funny little ceramic angel hanging on the bedroom wall, over the door to the terrace, protecting all who enter or leave, and given to me by my daughter when she was in Portugal who said…’she reminded me of you so much, comical and cute’…and offer my thanks and gratitude for that child and her sister, my partner, being safe thru the nite, and guidance thru the new day.
I ask for protection of me and mine at this time too, and express gratitude that we will be protected.
It is my little daily ritual, and even if I do not write in my journal, which I’ve kept for years, I have at least done this much to remind myself of the wonders of this world. I am able to winter in sunny Mexico and live by a lake at my other home in Ontario as well as here in Mexico. This alone is enough for me and I am grateful.
I am blessed………..and wish for blessings to all those in pain and suffering of any kind.
Good work, Hellen, carry on…I support you.
Beautiful Hellen! I’m going to start a gratitude journal—love this idea!
A really simple way to show someone gratitude is using the “Cards” app for iPhone (granted it’s not as personal as some of your suggestions but it’s a start!). You can download the app itself for free from the App Store and it allows you to send customized cards right from your iPhone. There’s a charge for sending cards of course but I don’t think it costs much more than buying a greeting card and mailing it yourself.
Thanks for all your great work Hellen! I’m very grateful for WeOrganizeU and for your fantastic newsletters! 🙂
Hi Hellen –
Being grateful, feeling gratitude, never ever taking anything for granted, is something that has always been with me – whether little small things, or biggies.
I go beyond this too by making a point of expressing gratitude every opportunity I get and I don’t mean just good manners, which is important too of course.
So what I do eg. if a driver lets me in line, I always make a point of signalling by hand a thank you. Few people do this – instead they take it for granted – but doing this promotes a positive connection. It’s such a small thing, but several of such “small things” every day is a good thing for anyone to experience, and so on. It promotes a positiveness, and hopefully it’s contagious. If someone holds a door open, I thank them. Anyone who does anything, big or small, gets a smile and a thank you from me, a thank you that’s genuine.
Evelyn
I thought the “Book of Awesome” was a great way of remembering all those little things that we are grateful for, or just really appreciate. For example, one of my favourite things in life, that I am grateful for and appreciate, is fresh sheets off the clothes line. There’s nothing like it!! 🙂