The Art of Gratitude: 3 Gratitude Practices You Can Start Today

Gratitude: The quality of being thankful.

As the year winds to a close, many of us are likely to be looking back at 2022 in reflection. For some of us 2022 might have been a blessing while for some of us, 2022 might have been challenging. Around this time of the year, the word gratitude seems to be all the buzz. So, what is gratitude, and how can incorporating gratitude practices into our daily lives help us? Read on to find out more.

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful. Actively practicing gratitude has been found to have profound benefits on the brain. A study by the University of California revealed that practicing gratitude has lasting impacts on your brain and unshackles the mind from unfavourable emotions.

In the fast-paced world that we live in, making changes or introducing new habits may be arduous. We invite you to look at these gratitude practices with an open mind and welcome the positive changes that they can make in your life. Even for just 5 minutes a day, with patience, you may be able to observe positive changes in your mind and body gradually. 

Here are 3 gratitude practices you can try:

Start a Gratitude Journal

Keeping a gratitude journal is my personal favourite and incorporating it into my life has been one of the best decisions I have made. It’s simple and does not take a lot of time to do. So how do you go about keeping up a gratitude journal?

All you’ll need is a pen and a simple notebook. At the end of each day, take 5 minutes to think and reflect on the happenings of the day. Simply jot down 3 things that you are grateful for. It could be anything from ordinary events to how you are grateful for the people in your life. 

Here’s an example of 3 things that I wrote in my gratitude journal: 

16th May 2022, Monday

I am thankful for having the ability to walk as it allows me to enjoy nature on the commute back home every day.

I am thankful for my mum for she always makes sure that I have eaten and she makes me feel loved. 

I am thankful for the accessibility of the city that I live in where public transport is reliable. 

Give a Gratitude Letter 

This is a really special gratitude practice that can have profound impacts not just on yourself but on the people around you. Taking some time to pen down a letter of gratitude to a friend, a family member, or a loved one is a great way to express to someone how thankful and blessed you are to have them in your life. It is one of the sweetest gifts anyone could receive. 

You will need a pen and paper, or if you would like to go 21st century with this you could use email, and write away. Try to be detailed and share all the things that you are thankful for and how they have impacted your life. This is a great practice to use to even reconnect with your old friends. 

Wake Up with Morning Meditation

One way to start your day with gratuity is to partake in a meditation exercise. Your meditation could incorporate an element of gratitude where you can meditate on things you are grateful for or something simple as being thankful for a new day.

You’ll be able to bring with you a positive outlook throughout the day. It is surely a great way to start your day.

With that, we hope that our blog has given you some ideas on new habits that you could possibly take forth this new year. The Soma Circle family would like to extend our heartiest gratitude toward all our readers and we wish you a blessed and happy 2023!

Rishika Ghanamoorthy