Developing an attitude of gratitude is a daily practice. It is much easier to do than you might think! There are many ways to practice thankfulness, so I recommend picking one and diving in! Once your first gratitude practice has become a habit, add another one to your routine if you like.
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Table of Contents
What Does it Mean to Have an Attitude of Gratitude?
According to the Oxford Dictionary, the meaning of gratitude is “the quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.”
Meanwhile, Webster’s dictionary states how to define gratitude: “the state of being grateful: thankfulness.”
To have an attitude of gratitude means striving to practice thankfulness in every moment, especially in our daily lives. This can improve our life satisfaction in many ways!
To practice gratitude is to heal.
Why is practicing it important?
Practicing gratitude throughout your day can make not just one day but your life better!
Research has shown that having an attitude of gratitude toward oneself and others improves mental health. In a 2018 randomized control trial, Wong and associates found that practicing thankfulness improved one’s emotional well-being. Out of the 293 participants, one group wrote letters expressing gratitude towards others. The individuals in this group showed signs of improved mental health both during the study as well as for the weeks and months after it had ended [1].
This study showed that not only does developing an attitude of gratitude have an immediate impact on our well-being, but that acts of gratitude have a ripple effect well into our future.
Sounds good, right?
Keep reading to learn how you can create a practice of daily gratitude.
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21 Ways To Feel And Live In Gratitude
There are many ways to cultivate your conscious habit of living in a state of thankfulness. Here are 21 ways to start. Pick one, and go from there.
- Start your morning by asking yourself, “What am I grateful for?”.
First thing in the morning, I’m talking right when you open your eyes and ask yourself, “What am I thankful for?” This can be done verbally or in written form. You can also text it to a friend. Ideally, you’d say it out loud or write it down instead of just thinking about it in your head. You want to be able to see and feel these grateful thoughts. - Keep a gratitude journal.
Do this every day! (Especially on a bad day.) Incorporating a gratitude practice into your daily routine will make even your worst days seem better. Pick out a journal that you are drawn to and that brings you joy.
Read previous entries often. Reflect on past gratitude. Staring at pages upon pages of thankfulness for different things is a sure way to remind you and keep the positive energy going. - Keep a gratitude jar.
This doesn’t need to be anything fancy. It could even be a jar you were going to recycle. (On the other hand, you could turn this into an art project.) Create a special little container where you deposit especially grateful moments. Write them down on small pieces of paper and add them to your gratitude jar. You can keep it for a year, a season, or even just a week before reading them all. Give this practice a little time, and you might just see big results. - Text or call a friend just to share gratitude with them.
This may seem weird, but the more you verbalize what you are grateful for, the better. Telling your friends, family, or even strangers how they have positively impacted your life can have a ripple effect. - Write a gratitude letter.
Even better than texting a friend, write a letter to express gratitude! Getting snail mail is so much more fun than seeing a little notification on a screen. It’s special to receive a letter, but it’s also a powerful practice to write one. Writing a letter takes paper, pen, and time. Whoever you write is guaranteed to feel a surge of gratitude themselves, sending it back to you or passing it along to someone else. - Start saying, “I get to.” instead of “I have to.”
This can make a huge shift in your day-to-day life. Just think about the mentality behind the phrase “I get to” versus “I have to.”
“I get to.” This sentence makes the event, task, etc., almost exciting! Whereas “I have to.” can be kind of a drag.
An example of this is doing laundry. It’s a task that can be boring and inconvenient, but how lucky are you to have clothes and clean water? That’s a pretty big deal- and the fact that we used to have to scrub til our hands were raw, but now we have automatic machines to wash and dry our clothes; perhaps a sunny day and a nice breeze if they’re hanging out on the line? A positive outlook can turn monotony into magic. - Make an effort to be completely present.
Being present is an act of gratitude. When we are fully in the present moment, we aren’t stuck wishing we were anywhere else. Comparison is the thief of joy! If you find yourself having negative thoughts about your current environment, take a second to make that conscious effort to shift your perspective. Immediately switch to making a gratitude list in your head. Doing this regularly can reprogram your mind to see the best thing in a situation first rather than the worst. - Do something nice for someone else.
Being of service to others is an act of gratitude. Amanda Logan (CNP) states, “Positive gestures benefit [us] by releasing oxytocin [2].” (That’s the feel-good hormone.) Giving our energy, gifts, and/or time to someone in need makes us happy! This works like the butterfly effect. Performing good deeds inspires others to do the same, which tangibly makes the world a brighter place. - Overuse the phrase “thank you”.
If you don’t already, start incorporating thanks into all your daily interactions, expressing appreciation for even the smallest of things because we can all use a little thanks! - Host a gratitude party.
I’m not a big fan of Thanksgiving because it is rooted in pain, suffering, and injustices, but have you ever thought about holding a gratitude party!? It can be any time of the year, too! - Meditate on gratitude.
Though there are many schools of thought and different ways to meditate, meditating on gratitude can be super simple. Take five minutes to close your eyes and be with your breath, bringing gratitude to the forefront of your thoughts. Notice the quality of this gratitude: what is its color? How does it feel? Imagine this warm thankfulness permeating your entire body until you’re fully bathed in its glow. Keep breathing deeply, envisioning it expanding to your family, neighbors, community, or even your whole town. - Create your own positive affirmation to say daily.
This practice can be so powerful and transformative. On top of that, it’s pretty easy and simple to do! Here are a few examples:
I am grateful for this day, and I am present in each moment.
I know my worth.
I start this day by asking the Universe to be my guide. I am here, present, and grateful. - Surround yourself with people who practice gratitude.
They say you’re a mixture of the five people you hang out with most. Surround yourself with friends and family who practice gratitude and show thankfulness in their daily lives. Their actions have a ripple effect on their surrounding community (including you!). - Be kind to yourself, especially when you’re sad.
An attitude of gratefulness means practicing it in both happy and not-so-happy times. Allow negative emotions space just to be, feel them fully, and allow them to flow freely. Give yourself compassion and avoid judging yourself and your emotions harshly.
Though anger and sadness get a bad rep, they’re useful for helping us make sense of life. Anger is fire; it tells us what we do and don’t want. It keeps us safe by helping us remember our boundaries. Sadness is water, a beautiful, sweet emotion that reminds us we are human. It is a blessing to be able to feel everything we do, so find ways to be grateful even when you’re feeling blue. - Make the present and gratitude your anchor.
Being able to recenter in the present and make gratitude your anchor can quickly help you navigate difficult situations. Reactivity and anxiety can lessen and slow down in this state, allowing us to reflect and respond more intentionally. - Take a break from social media.
We are living, breathing humans, baby! We were meant to interact, to dance, to create, not consume until we can’t even think for ourselves. Social media can be a really great tool and means of connection, but without balance, it can be the fastest ticket to slipping out of a gratitude mindset. It can also negatively impact mental health and worsen anxiety and depression [3]! We see highlights and are tricked into believing others’ lives are better, easier, and more fun than our own. When in reality, they probably go through similar intrusive thoughts and difficult times. We’re all human, even those Instagram influencers on the other side of the screen. Taking a break is always available, and it will definitely be there when you’re ready to come back. - Take a moment of gratitude before eating.
If you aren’t great at making new habits stick, this might be the best way for you to remember to take a moment of thankfulness! Everyone needs to eat. Taking just one minute each time to be grateful for the food on your plate and the good things you experienced that day is a powerful tool to nourish your body and soul. (If you are looking for nourishing recipes, try one of these plant-based recipes. - Feel the benefits of gratitude in your physical health.
Much like the switch from “I have to” to “I get to,” incorporating thankfulness into your physical life can make it much more enjoyable. Instead of thinking, ”Ugh, I have to go on a run,” think, “Wow, I am so lucky to be able to move my body this way!” - Go on a gratitude walk.
Take a walk around your neighborhood. A key point here is to leave your phone at home. I know, it’s a crazy idea! Just go on a walk without technology. See how many things you notice that make you feel grateful for their existence. Plants, animals, smells, and sounds remind us what a blessing it is to be alive! - Take a moment to appreciate nature.
There’s something about slowing down and being in nature with Mother Earth. Obviously, we do this every day because we all live on planet Earth. But do we actually think about it? Are we present?
Go outside and be with Mother Nature. Take a deep breath of fresh air, and exhale gratitude, for the trees are in your lungs. Have you ever thought about that or meditated on it? Listen to the birds and feel the wind kiss your face. Then, once the sounds melt away, all that’s left is gratitude. Our planet gives us so much! So, she can easily inspire you with gratitude. - Before bed, reflect on your day by making a gratitude list.
This practice is a great way to promote a better sense of well-being because it gives us better sleep! A study found that bedtime list-making (even a to-do list) makes us fall asleep faster [4].
Other studies have shown that having a bedtime routine, also called a wind-down routine, makes for a better sleep schedule [5]. (It doesn’t just benefit babies and toddlers!) Taking a moment at the end of the day to pause and be thankful will lull you into sweet dreams in no time, setting up the next day for success.
FAQ
Having an attitude of gratitude can improve your mental health in the present and future weeks ahead. It’s pretty magical [1].
There are so many ways to develop gratitude. Start with one, two, or three of the above suggestions, and you will be off to a great start. If you want a specific suggestion, I recommend starting with a gratitude journal. First thing in the morning, right when you wake up. Reach for your gratitude journal and write five things you are grateful for.
Make your first thought each morning be, “What am I grateful for?”. If need be, make your phone’s lock screen a photo of the word gratitude to gently remind you of this practice.
Final Thoughts
We know cultivating an attitude of gratitude is a powerful practice for both physical and mental health. There are so many ways to bring gratitude into our lives. How do you practice gratitude?
I’m grateful to be learning together! May we all have sweeter days with these gratitude habits in place.
References
[1] Wong, Y. J., Owen, J., Gabana, N. T., Brown, J. W., McInnis, S., Toth, P., & Gilman, L. (2018). Does gratitude writing improve the mental health of psychotherapy clients? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial. Psychotherapy Research: Journal Of The Society For Psychotherapy Research, 28(2), 192–202. https://doi-org.uws.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/10503307.2016.1169332
[2] Logan, Amanda. (2022) Can expressing gratitude improve your mental, physical health? Mayo Clinic Health System. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/can-expressing-gratitude-improve-health
[3] Karim F, Oyewande AA, Abdalla LF, Chaudhry Ehsanullah R, Khan S. Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review. Cureus. 2020 Jun 15;12(6):e8627. doi: 10.7759/cureus.8627. PMID: 32685296; PMCID: PMC7364393.
[4] Scullin MK, Krueger ML, Ballard HK, Pruett N, Bliwise DL. The effects of bedtime writing on difficulty falling asleep: A polysomnographic study comparing to-do lists and completed activity lists. J Exp Psychol Gen. 2018 Jan;147(1):139-146. doi: 10.1037/xge0000374. Epub 2017 Oct 23. PMID: 29058942; PMCID: PMC5758411.
[5] Larsen, Kristy, “Consistent Bedtime Routines are Linked to Better Sleep Outcomes: Why?” (2021). Dissertations. 1857. https://aquila.usm.edu/dissertations/1857
