7 Benefits of Gratitude and 8 Ways to Practice It

Start feeling happier today.

Gratitude is a great thing, but it can be hard to do.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of day-to-day life that it can be easy to forget to be grateful for the important things around us. It’s possible to make it a habit, though!

Let’s look at the different benefits of gratitude and how you can practice it every single day!

“First forget inspiration. Habit is more dependable. Habit will sustain you whether you’re inspired or not. Habit will help you finish and polish your stories. Inspiration won’t. Habit is persistence in practice.” — Octavia Butler

Benefits of Gratitude

When we practice gratitude, we feel appreciation for our good fortune. Practicing gratitude enables us to become more positive people and more connected with others, including friends and family members. We often take things for granted, and it’s easy to focus on the negative aspects of our lives instead of the positive ones.

Those who practice gratitude are also more likely to feel appreciated by others around them.

1. It helps you be more productive

People who practice gratitude tend to have higher levels of engagement with activities and commitment to their goals. When people focus on what they’re grateful for in their lives rather than what’s wrong-they can use that positive energy to engage and find creative solutions to any unfortunate situation. It’s all about getting an attitude adjustment!

2. Improves your relationships with others

The power of gratitude is transforming. When we neglect to pay attention to what we have in our lives, it’s easy to let little irritations and disappointments build up until they sour all of our relationships. Sometimes the people that aggravate us or make us angry may not be doing anything wrong.

3. It makes you happier

People that are grateful experience more joy, engagement, and social support.

Gratitude can make you happier because you have increased joy, engagement in life, and enhanced social connection. Happiness is best achieved through an attitude of thankfulness instead of focusing on one’s problems or the things one lacks.

4. You’re less focused on what you don’t have

Gratitude is a mental habit that helps you focus on what you do have. This isn’t about being satisfied with what’s not and hoping for better. It’s about recognizing the good in your world right now and giving thanks.

Feeling grateful for positive things increases your chances of having more of them because appreciating goodness gives strength to the mind to create more goodness.

5. Lowers stress and anxiety

Highlighting the positives in your life gives you something powerful to focus on, which can help lower stress and anxiety.

When faced with a stressful time in their lives, it provides people an anchor or focal point for their minds to turn back towards rather than overcome by worries.

6. Sleep better at night

Practicing gratitude creates a sense of acceptance and trust. When you’re more accepting and trusting, you feel more at ease with uncertainty. This will also help you sleep better as the thoughts that can interfere with rest are eliminated.

7. Develop more empathy for others

Practicing gratitude can help you develop empathy for others because it gives you the skill to feel what another is feeling.

True humility begins with ourselves but does not end there. When we are humble towards our own practical needs, we are more likely to find ourselves considering those around us who have needs.

“Got no checkbooks, got no banks, still I’d like to express my thanks. I got the sun in the morning and the moon at night.” — Irving Berlin

How to Practice Gratitude

Practice gratitude and let go of what does not serve you. Gratitude is the vitamin that fills us up with positivity and can make any day better. If every morning you woke up feeling grateful, what would your life be like?

1. Write down three things you’re grateful for each day

When you take time to articulate what is going right, it powerfully reinforces the positive.

An important part of any positive change process is reflecting on what you are doing right.

2. Tell someone why they matter in your life

Every single person in this world has a story. Whether you need support or someone else that you know who needs some encouragement, know that what you say or do can have a tremendous impact on someone’s life for the better — no matter how minuscule it may seem.

3. Give back — volunteer at an organization or give money

Raising awareness, donating money, or time are some ways to give back. Volunteering for your community is an opportunity to positively get out into the world by exploring new places and meeting new people. Volunteering reinforces goodness and can feel good.

4. Start a journal about all the amazing experiences you’ve had

Starting a journal to remember and reflect on your daily joys is a great way to shuffle through the memories of the past when you’re feeling down or unfulfilled.

It can easily become an activity that fuels your day; little thoughts are written down in your journal that reminds you of what makes you happy.

5. Count your blessings — write down ten great things that happened today

Gratitude starts by noticing the things you have rather than dwelling on what is missing in your life. When we count our blessings, small or big, it shifts our focus from deprivation and lack to the gifts we are granted with each new day.

6. Make time for family and friends

It goes without saying that social beings are hardwired to feel a sense of belonging. The road to feeling grateful is paved with human interactions.

7. Read something inspirational

Reading something inspirational can be something that helps us reflect deeply about our lives and where it’s headed. It can also remind us of what’s important in life.

8. Meditate

Meditation teaches effortless focus. When we’re mindful, we’re fully present and aware of how things are, which allows us to be more grateful and less self-critical or judgmental.

Final Thoughts

Expressions of gratitude can help improve your mood, boost your optimism, diminish self-imposed guilt and regret over negative events in life, enhance sleep quality, and enrich friendships and relationships.

Gratitude is also one of life’s best defenses against depression, anxiety, resentment, jealousy, and anger. All these negative emotions can lead to dangerous or destructive behavior if left unresolved. But gratitude takes them out at the root!