Why practice gratitude? I asked myself that question several years ago when my partner, Warren, and I assigned our Yoga Teacher Training students to keep a gratitude journal. I had recently read several well-researched books on the subject, so I decided to keep a journal myself to see if I could experience the benefits.
I found that by taking the time to recall what I was grateful for cultivated a sense of appreciation, and I began to experience a greater sense of satisfaction. I also knew it was having an impact when Warren mentioned I was much more pleasant to be around. I realized I could shift my mood quickly by calling to mind something that I was thankful for, even if it was as simple and mundane as having time to enjoy a cup of tea in the morning or the outdoor sunshine.
Cultivating gratitude works because your brain has a propensity to look for what you expect to see, and you see what you focus on. When you focus on the joyful moments, or the things and people you are thankful for, you will begin to notice more of these things and all the other good things in your life.
Alternatively, focus on the gloom and doom we are all exposed to every day, and you can imagine where your attention will be drawn. We may simply be hardwired this way. It comes naturally for us to be on the lookout for danger—think fight or flight—whether those threats are real or imagined.
Being grateful is a pretty easy practice, and it doesn’t take much to start. Choose a time of the day, maybe before you begin to eat a meal, to draw your attention to one thing you are grateful for in your life. Be specific. Be unique. Be creative. It can be serious or it can be fun. Then, notice your sense of mindfulness and peacefulness as you bring your attention back to your meal.
Later, after you practice gratitude for a while, try one of these simple exercises.
- Spend one minute mentally listing what you are grateful for.
- Keep a gratitude journal.
- As Sheryl Sandberg suggests, write down “three moments of joy” from your day before you go to bed. You just might sleep better too.
As with all mindfulness practices, find what works best for you. Choose something that resonates. Begin to build a new habit, one that can bring you a greater sense of joy.
