Gratitude is a powerful emotion where consistent practice can lead to greater happiness and wellbeing. Studies show that feelings of gratitude can improve your physical health, strengthen your mental resilience and create better social connections.
But, with so many stressors in life, it can be easy to get swept up in the fast lane of juggling a business with personal responsibilities. Sometimes long days, difficult projects or a slowdown of sales can overshadow your appreciation of the things you have or just how far you’ve already come.
Intentionally cultivating a feeling of gratitude can empower you to feel optimistic and bounce back from stressful situations. If you would like to experience more gratitude, here are 5 simple ways you can foster appreciation in your daily life.
Stop waiting to feel gratitude
Most of us are waiting for a big moment to feel gratitude, but sometimes it’s the little things that can shape our perspective. Appreciating small acts of kindness such as someone opening a door for you or feeling grateful for a wonderful sunny morning can change the tone of your entire day.
Keep a gratitude journal
Make gratitude a daily ritual. Keeping a journal of all the things that you are thankful for can realign your focus to the positive aspects of your life.
The key is to be specific. For example, if you appreciate your spouse or partner in your life, write down five reasons why you are grateful for that person. Does he or she always support you through difficult times? Or maybe you love the way your partner makes you a cup of tea every morning. When you write in detail about gratitude, feelings of abundance and joy can improve your mental wellbeing.
Take 15 minutes every day to elaborate in-depth on the good things that have made a difference in your life.
Practice gratitude meditation
Gratitude meditation is the practice of using personal reflection to bring us to a place of happiness and appreciation.
When you’re feeling stressed or facing a difficult challenge, gratitude meditation can raise the level of endorphins in your body, activating positive emotions. These feelings can relieve anxiety and stress while strengthening your resilience to cope better with negative experiences.
Giving back
Whether you’re giving a gift, volunteering your time or donating to an organisation, the act of giving can elicit feelings of gratitude that help to nurture meaningful relationships and increase empathy for others.
Plus, giving back can trigger a ripple effect where generosity spreads through communities and encourages others to do the same.
Remember the beginning
Sometimes it’s hard to see how far you’ve come, especially in business. While the journey may be full of highs and lows, it’s important to remember where you started and the progress you’ve made. Think about where you were last year or five years ago, then marvel at your journey. There is a past version of you that is proud of how far you’ve come today!
What are you feeling grateful for today? Let me know in the comments below your favourite gratitude practices.
