Finding ways to practice gratitude each day is a lot more beneficial to you than you may realise. It’s not just about writing down a few things you’re grateful for each day, it’s much deeper than that, and the benefits show the impact daily gratitude has on your life.
Here are 10 benefits of a daily gratitude practice.
- Feel Happier
Your thoughts control your feelings, not the other way around. Because of this, when you practice gratitude, you will change the thoughts to those that are more positive which will naturally increase your happiness. - Reduce Depression
While many types of depression aren’t going to be changed much with a journal, many can. If you have depression, do seek professional help but, in the meantime, start focusing your mind on what you have that you are grateful for. Even if it’s just that you managed to get through the day lying in bed. - Boost Resilience
Being able to be knocked down and get back up repeatedly is an important skill for life. It’s called resilience. The more positive you can be about setbacks and life, the more likely you are to be able to bounce back after adversity. - Improve Self Esteem
People who think positively are usually better at thinking positively about themselves too. If you have issues will self image or self worth, try writing three things you love about yourself and what you accomplished each evening before bed. And remember the little things. Every win no matter how small is still a win. - Sleep Better
When you’re not thinking of all the negative things that happen and blow them up to be even worse than they are by not being grateful for what is good, you won’t sleep as well as you will if you go with gratitude first. - Reduce Blood Pressure
Studies show that focusing on what you’re grateful for can help you reduce your blood pressure. This means that something as simple as finding ways to be grateful is affecting your health positively. - Experience Less Pain
Science says that if you can turn your thoughts to positive thoughts and find ways to be grateful, you will reduce body pain that you feel due to illness or life. - Strengthen Immunity
When you can focus on eating right, sleeping well, and taking care of yourself due to feeling less depression, pain, and anxiety, you will also improve your health by making your immune system stronger. - Increases Lifespan
Obviously, if you’re healthier, you’re going to live longer. What a win. Just by being more grateful, you can add time to your life. What better pay off can you experience? - Experience More Fulfilling Relationships.
If you’re a happier person, you’ll be more fun to be around and elicit more trust from your friends and family. Because of this, you’ll develop even stronger and better relationships.
If you want to get more done, feel happier about your life, and experience more fulfilling relationships, finding a way to practice daily gratitude is your best option.
You can write in a journal, focus your thoughts on gratitude, and learn to see the good things before you see the bad.
As the spiritual teacher and best selling author Eckhart Tolle says:
“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance”
As you go about your days for the next week, ask yourself this very important question.
What am I grateful for in my life?
Take care,
David