The Practice of Gratitude
What is gratitude?
Gratitude is the expression of appreciation for what one has. Independent from monetary value or worth, gratitude is associated with the warm and fuzzy feelings of being thankful and grateful for what you have in life, however small. Gratitude is often a spontaneous feeling, yet, increasingly, research demonstrates its value as a practice—that is, it can be helpful to make a conscious effort to count one’s blessings.
Can practicing gratitude change my mood?
While we know that we would be able to function a whole lot easier if we didn’t have intense feelings of stress, anxiety, fear, pain, depression and anger, unfortunately we cannot always avoid feeling this way. Life is full of ups and downs, so too our emotions - this is completely normal - although not easy! However, we don’t need to be stuck or helpless in our struggle with them. We can practice radical acceptance.
How can I practise gratitude?
Gratitude starts with noticing the goodness in life. Gratitude journaling can be simple exercise that anyone can do, aiming to help people identify the good things in their lives, however small.
* Keep a journal of or in some way note big and little joys of daily life.
* Write down "three good things"—identify three things that have gone well for you and identify the cause.
* Write thank-you notes to others.
* Think about people who have inspired you and what about them was most significant.
* Engage in "mental subtraction." Imagine what your life would be like if some positive event had not occurred.
If you would like to learn more about the practice of gratitude, or would like more helpful information and support, give them team at Progressive Psychology a call today on 0477 798 932 and take that first step towards living your best life.