Have you been feeling a little stuck lately? It’s completely understandable if you are. It seems like taking care of our mental health has never been harder than in the last few years.
In times like these, you may wish you had some magical powers to bring light into your life, but would you believe us if we told you that you have those powers in you?
It is a small, simple habit that could change your life forever.
This habit is called gratitude.
And if you keep reading, you’ll see why it’s a magical power.
So what is gratitude?
Gratitude is an emotion that involves being thankful and appreciative of things that surround you.
It stems from the recognition that something good happens to you. You can be grateful for experiences, things you own, people, etc.
By being grateful for something, you actively acknowledge the good in your life.
This is sometimes hard for many people because we often get overwhelmed by the challenges that life puts before us.
We get blinded by our negative emotions and fail to see the positive side of life. By practicing gratitude, you are able to make a much-needed shift from that negativity.
It may seem like you must suppress your worries to be grateful, but that’s not the case.
A healthy mind recognizes and accepts the struggles but doesn’t make the struggles its home.
In other words, by being grateful, you can achieve more balance and make the good more important to you.
How does gratitude work?
Let’s dive into your brain briefly while looking at a simple analogy. Try to remember a route that you are often taking. For example, it could be a path from home to school or work.
Everything was new and unfamiliar the first few times you took that route, but as time went by and you learned the way, you started moving almost automatically.
You didn’t have to think about directions or landmarks. You just went straight ahead, and you reached your destination in no time.
Your brain also has pathways that go from point A to point B. These points represent different brain structures in charge of your thoughts, emotions, and behavior functions.
When you think about something often, you are walking a certain pathway repeatedly, and your brain is getting familiar with the route of that thought.
At the same time, when you want to shift your way of thinking, your brain faces some problems because it doesn’t spend much time traveling those routes.
If you spend too much time thinking negative thoughts, your brain becomes very good at taking you to negative places because it’s learned that route very efficiently.
But if you decide to change and try to go on a different positive path, you’re helping your brain learn that new route.
Those new routes take you to certain brain structures responsible for positive thoughts, and that’s how gratitude works.
When you make it a habit to shift your point of view, you will be more likely to go to those positive places when things get hard.
Because your brain will take you there on its own, number three, what are the benefits of gratitude?
When you’re grateful, you’re acknowledging someone’s act as meaningful. You’re thanking the other person for whatever you’re receiving from them.
This helps your relationship flourish and strengthens your connections with the people around you.
It can also show others that you’re not one to take things for granted.
On top of that, researchers have found many physical and emotional benefits of gratitude. It’s been shown that being grateful is associated with better physical health, life satisfaction, hope and personal growth, self-esteem, quality of sleep, happiness, and well-being.
So how do I make it a habit?
Well, it’s been said that it takes 21 days to form a habit. So starting today and for the next 21 days, try keeping a gratitude journal.
Of course, you could spend some time every day thinking about it, but writing it down could ensure you don’t forget to do it.
And you’ll have it all in one place to reread when necessary.
Every night before you go to sleep or whatever time of day you feel like it, take out your journal and write down three things you’re grateful for.
Some days you’ll have a bunch to write about, and some days you may find it hard. You may think this day was horrible, but how do I find anything to be grateful for?
But that’s exactly the point. There is always something to be grateful for no matter how bad our days get.
Are you grateful to have a roof above your head? Are you grateful for the clothes that keep you warm?
Are you grateful to have access to the internet? As we said before, it’s not about ignoring the real struggles of our lives.
You are allowed to have a bad day or feel sad, but the world is not strictly black or white and your gratitude journal is here to remind you that there is a spark of light even on rainy days, you just have to be open to seeing it.
So, do you think you’ll try out this simple habit?
Expressing gratitude and reminding yourself of the good is something small that will work wonders if you’re consistent with it.
So what’s something you are grateful for? Leave a comment to share your thoughts.