Practicing Gratitude
I recently taught a workshop to a group of about 100 teens. I invited them to spend a minute writing down everything that is hard or stressful and then share how they felt. Not surprisingly, they offered answers like “I feel more stressed thinking about what I’m stressed about!” “I feel really overwhelmed.” “I’m not sure where to begin.” I then had them flip their papers over and spend one minute writing down everything they were grateful for and then share how they felt. They were surprised to share how quickly they felt different. One youth said, “I was really overwhelmed with the list of things I am stressed about but then realized I am so grateful to have my family who can support me.” Another youth said, “My family is stressful but when I started thinking about what I was grateful for, my perspective has shifted. Maybe it isn’t as bad as I thought.”
This shift in perspective shows how gratitude is both a feeling and a mindset. It’s something we can train our brains to think regardless of any circumstance. The power of gratitude has been shown through research – identifying how it can change our physical, mental, and spiritual health for the better.
I find a gratitude practice in my life helps me shift my brain from the unintentional “never enough” or “doing it wrong” mindset into one with a much deeper perspective centered on learning and growth. I may still feel overwhelmed, but I can wrap that overwhelm with a blanket of gratitude. This helps me remember that overwhelm is both completely normal and temporary.
This month, the mindful invitation is to up level your gratitude practice – however it looks to you. Try committing to a 10-day practice with one of these gratitude methods:
1. Document it every day – write it down, take a photo
2. Express gratitude each day to someone through text, card or in person.
3. Practice self-gratitude. Tell yourself thanks or consider writing yourself a thank you letter.
I’m taking this challenge as well. It’s been like putting on a new set of glasses and seeing the details with a bit more color, joy and clarity. It’s reminding me of the power of this quote:
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.”
How will you practice gratitude this month?
