“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
Oprah Winfrey
It is said that gratitude is the best attitude. In childhood, we’re taught to say the magic words “Thank you” whenever someone does something nice for us. This is nothing but a practice of gratitude. But how do you define gratitude? Why is it important to be grateful for what you have? Can gratitude really help you experience contentment and peace?
Gratitude is a state in which you feel thankful for things in your life, big and small. Gratitude also means you have a readiness to accept and reciprocate kindness and express your gratitude through appreciation for people, experiences, and things in your life. There are various ways to make gratitude a part of your life. Let’s explore how we can become more grateful and invite abundance into our lives.
Can You Find Inner Peace and Gratitude Through Meditation?
Meditation is a simple yet effective way to experience peace and cultivate gratitude. A study conducted in 2016 showed that practicing gratitude meditation does increase feelings of gratitude in a person. When you feel grateful, you start experiencing more satisfaction, which can bring inner peace. Gratitude is also linked to mindfulness. When you do a guided meditation to practice gratitude, you deliberately pay attention to the things around you and express thanks for them. This practice can help you stay in the present moment, eliminating unnecessary worries about the past or the future.
Why is a Gratitude Meditation Important?
Gratitude meditation is one of the simplest and most effective ways to practice gratitude. This practice has numerous benefits. Studies have proven that practicing gratitude makes you feel more positive. When you consciously make time to pay attention to your blessings through guided meditation, it makes you feel happier and calmer. Additionally, gratitude meditation shifts your perspective and rewires your brain to focus on the positive aspects of daily life. By taking a moment each day to be grateful for what you have, you can improve your mood and overall well-being. Focusing on the good things that happen to you daily will help you attract more good things into your life.
Top 4 Ways to Practice Gratitude
1. Gratitude Meditation
First, find a comfortable place to meditate. Sit in a comfortable position and take a few deep breaths to relax. You can use guided meditation when you’re starting out to help you with the practice. Once you understand how to do it, you can do it yourself as well. In your mind, think about all the things in your life that you are grateful for, such as your parents, loved ones, your job, good health, and anything else that comes to mind. Express thanks for all the wonderful blessings, big or small.
2. Gratitude Journal
Every night, before you sleep, write down three things you’re grateful for. This practice will help you make gratitude a part of your life. Also, consciously thinking about what you’re grateful for just before sleeping will put you in a positive frame of mind, which can help with sleep.
3. Gratitude Jar
You can get creative with your practice by keeping a dedicated gratitude jar. Whenever you feel grateful for something, like a compliment from a colleague or a freebie with your lunch order, write it down on a slip of paper and put it in the jar. You can revisit the jar at the end of the month to relive all those moments.
4. Affirmations
Saying positive affirmations is another great way to practice gratitude. You can create your own custom affirmations, such as:
- “I’m so grateful for my good health and that of my loved ones.”
- “I express thanks for my job and the financial security I have.”
- “I love and appreciate my friends for always being there for me.”
Repeating these affirmations in your mind or out loud can have a very positive impact on your mood. You can also write these down in your gratitude journal.
Learning how to express gratitude is something that each one of us can do to live more fulfilling, soul-aligned lives. Do you want to lead an abundant life by harnessing the power of gratitude? Our Soul Senseis can help you cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Get in touch with SoulSensei to learn more!
“God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say ‘thank you?'”
William A. Ward
Sources
- “Gratitude Meditation and Practices to Make You Feel Better.” Calm, Calm, www.calm.com/blog/gratitude-meditation. Accessed 8 Aug. 2024.
- “Gratitude Quotes.” Jesuitresource.Org, Xavier University’s Center for Mission and Identity.
- “How to Practice Gratitude.” Mindful, Mindful Communications & Such, PBC, 25 July 2024.
- Selva, Joaquín. “Gratitude Meditation: A Simple but Powerful Intervention.” PositivePsychology.Com, PositivePsychology.com, 21 Apr. 2017.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Does it Mean to Live a Life of Gratitude?
When you live a life of gratitude, you make a conscious decision to pay attention to all the blessings that life has to offer. Rather than complaining or criticising those things that aren’t working in your favour, you shift your focus to those things which are good in your life. It’s easy to be grateful for what you have when you choose to focus on the blessings around you. It could be the people you interact with on a daily basis, the facilities you have access to, everything that nature has to offer, and also the wonderful qualities that make you unique. To truly define gratitude, consider it as a mindset that focuses on the positive aspects of life.
What Does a Life of Gratitude Look Like?
A life of gratitude is one in which you notice all the good things that happen, not just the big things like a salary hike or a dream wedding, but also the little things like the warmth of your blanket on a cold winter morning or the song of a bird. There is more appreciation for the joys of life. When you make gratitude a part of your life, you feel appreciative of not only the people around you but also yourself.
