Accessing the Power of Gratitude

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Do you practice gratitude as a tool for happiness? Long-term studies support gratitude’s effectiveness, suggesting that a positive, appreciative attitude contributes to greater success in work, greater health, peak performance in sports and business, a higher sense of well-being, and a faster rate of recovery from surgery.

But while we may acknowledge gratitude’s many benefits, it still can be difficult to sustain. So many of us are trained to notice what is broken, undone, or lacking in our lives. And for gratitude to meet its full healing potential in our lives, it needs to become more than just a Thanksgiving word. We have to learn a new way of looking at things, a new habit. And that can take some time.

That’s why practicing gratitude makes so much sense. When we practice giving thanks for all we have, instead of complaining about what we lack, we give ourselves the chance to see all of life as an opportunity and a blessing.

Gratitude isn’t a blindly optimistic approach in which the bad things in life are whitewashed or ignored. It’s a matter of where we put our focus and attention. When we focus on the gifts of life, we gain a feeling of well-being. Gratitude balances us and gives us hope.

Here are some ways you can practice gratitude:

• Keep a gratitude journal in which you list things for which you are thankful. You can make daily, weekly or monthly lists.
• Make a gratitude collage by drawing or pasting pictures of things for which you are thankful.
• Practice gratitude as a family around the dinner table or make it part of your bedtime routine.
• Find the hidden blessing in a challenging situation.
• When you feel like complaining, make a gratitude list instead. You may be amazed by how much better you feel.

As you practice gratitude, an inner shift begins to occur, and you may be delighted to discover how content and hopeful you feel. That sense of fulfillment is gratitude at work.

What are you thankful for today?