There is a lot of talk about gratitude in the yoga community and it is no wonder why. Recent science suggests that practicing gratitude improves our physical and psychological health. This is all well and good, but how does one actually practice gratitude? Apart from saying what you are thankful for this Thanksgiving, I would like to provide some tips for how you can cultivate gratitude in your daily life.
Keep a daily gratitude journal
One way to practice gratitude every single day is to keep a gratitude journal. Pick out a beautiful journal to keep by your bedside table and every day, either before you go to bed or right when you wake up, pause to write one thing you are grateful for. It doesn’t matter if it is small, big, simple, or complex. Gratitude is gratitude regardless of the subject of your appreciation. This practice helps you remember what you are grateful for and encourages you to frequently consider other things you may not have realized you were grateful for after all. Plus, at the end of the year, it is a beautiful thing to read through a full gratitude journal.
Practice gratitude for the little things
There are so many small things worth of appreciation throughout your day. Practice gratitude for each and every one of these things. Consider pausing before you begin a meal to be grateful for the food and the work that went into getting that food on your plate. Or take a moment the next time you shower to feel gratitude for the warm, running water that you are fortunate enough to have in your home. If you have something to eat and somewhere to sleep every day, you are luckier than most. So practice gratitude in your daily life by recognizing and appreciating the small stuff.
Be grateful for the challenges
It’s easy to practice gratitude when you get a promotion or win a prize. It’s a lot harder when every day feels like an uphill battle. But cultivating gratitude in the face of—or even for—those things that challenge you is extremely beneficial. We grow and learn so much from the challenges we face and the struggles we endure. Next time you feel you are fighting a particularly difficult battle, pause for a moment to feel gratitude for everything that battle is teaching you.
Share your gratitude with others
I once saw a man on the street holding a sign that read, “Joy Shared is Joy Doubled.” Those words have stuck with me ever since. The same goes for gratitude. The more we share our gratitude the more others can join in and practice gratitude as well. Whether it is telling people why you are grateful for them or simply sharing what you are grateful for with others, let yourself be vocal and inclusive in your gratitude practice.
It is easy to practice gratitude when we sit at a table full of family and loved ones, preparing to feast on delicious Thanksgiving dinner. Hopefully with the above tips you can carry some of that gratitude beyond the holiday season and enjoy all the benefits of cultivating a deep gratitude practice in your life. In the meantime, check out our retreat calendar and sign up for one of our yoga and wellness retreats… they are give you even more to be grateful for.
