Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

As Thanksgiving approaches next month, those of us that celebrate may be starting to think about the things we’re thankful for. But what if we didn’t do that just at Thanksgiving? Spending the time and effort to cultivate a persistent attitude of gratitude will not just put you in a more positive mindset, but it apparently has a positive impact on your health! Some form of daily gratitude journaling can help you focus more intentionally on what you’re thankful for.

In fact, in our upcoming course on how to start a journal, we will include a tutorial on how to build a simple gratitude journal to help you build your habit!

Why It’s Good

There are numerous reasons why focusing on things you’re grateful for will help your mental state. Focusing on positive things instead of dwelling on the negative will put you in a better mindset. Being grateful for at least one thing every day reminds you that even when everything seems hard, there is still some good in your life.

What you might not know is that a daily habit of journaling can improve your health. I found several articles relating to this, such as 7 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude, by Amy Morin in Psychology Today.

People that practice gratitude sleep better. I couldn’t find any concrete reasons why this would be, but I found several speculations that seem to make sense. In some cases people believe that focusing on something positive, especially before bed, helps soothe your nervous system so that you can sleep more soundly.

I also found articles that link gratitude to a better immune system, reduced pain, lower blood pressure, and increased ability to heal. This article, 29 Scientifically Proven Benefits of Gratitude You Don’t Want to Miss, in NJ Lifehacks, lists the reasons why these things have been found to be true, plus many additional benefits.

It’s science!

Getting Specific About Your Gratitude

This being close to Thanksgiving, there are a ton of ideas on Pinterest and elsewhere about gratitude journals, jars, even gratitude pumpkins. There’s no right or wrong way to write down or record what you’re grateful for.

When it comes down to what you write down or record, I’ve learned that it’s best to be specific. For instance, I’ve been keeping a gratitude journal for six months. As I look back, many (most!) of my entries are general and vague.

For example, I have “family” and “son” and “husband” written down a lot. But looking back, I don’t recall why I was thankful that day in particular. Plus, I mean, hopefully it goes without saying that I’m thankful for my family. The thing is, I don’t feel that I’m being specific enough about what I appreciate about them.

So for example, instead of just “my husband” I could put “my husband brought me breakfast in bed this morning when I didn’t feel good”. It doesn’t have to be earth-shaking or momentous, either. It could be that the barista at Starbucks made my drink perfectly and smiled at me, which cheered me up.

Getting specific about our gratitude helps us not only remember specifics about a positive events in our lives, but can also prompt us to express that gratitude to the person, in the moment.

A Gratitude Jar

An article called The Science Behind Gratitude, by Derrick Carpenter on Happify, mentions a gratitude jar, which I love! In my team’s homeroom once, we made gratitude jars. Throughout the year you can write down things you’re grateful for as they happen, and put them in the jar. Then you could read it out later, maybe on Thanksgiving or New Years. Getting specific will help here too because you may not remember those specifics after a while.

A Gratitude Journal

Gratitude Journals are another excellent way of being intentional about developing a daily gratitude habit. There is an unlimited number of possibilities for how you can choose to record your journal. You can go for anything from simple to more elaborate, utilitarian to more creative.

In my journal, I have a section where I reflect on my day, and gratitude is one of the things I reflect on. Others have a special section just for gratitude, or a list on their phone. The form or format doesn’t matter so much as the act of being deliberate about noticing when you feel gratitude, and taking the time to note it down.

Wrap Up

So what will you choose? A pumpkin? A journal? A jar? A list on your phone? I’d love to see and hear what’s working and not working for you. Take a photo and tag me on Instagram at @coffeegritandinspiration, or post comments here or in our Facebook group! Have a wonderful, gratitude-filled week, everyone!