Counting your blessings is a time-honored principle for living a good life, and research proves it. Starting a daily gratitude practice isn't difficult, but it requires intention. Let's explore why a daily gratitude practice will improve your life, and review a simple two-step process to get started.
Gratitude Moves You Away from an Entitled Mindset
Gratitude shifts your focus from what you think you deserve to what you already have. It fosters humility and appreciation, contrasting with entitlement, which leads to arrogance and dissatisfaction.
After moving to an affluent area, I found it easy to focus on what I lack—such as a screened-in porch or a golf cart—rather than appreciating my comfortable home and reliable car. However, practicing gratitude each morning using the Atom app has helped me realize my wealth in blessings. I challenge myself to write down three things I’m grateful for, but I often come up with ten things. This daily habit at breakfast time with my Monk Manual, has shifted my mindset from entitlement to appreciation and I don’t get anxious and sad trying to keep up with my neighbors extravagant lifestyles.
Gratitude Strengthens Relationships
Gratitude fosters stronger connections by enhancing appreciation for others. For example, expressing gratitude to a partner can deepen your bond. In contrast, entitlement breeds resentment and isolation.
I witnessed entitlement when a man at BJ's Wholesale Club demanded immediate service for a return, that made everyone uncomfortable. If he was like that at BJ's, I imagine he was demanding and arrogant everywhere. I felt sorry for his family and those he worked with. If he redirected his focus to what he could be thankful for, his interactions would likely improve and become more positive. It's not hard to reframe your circumstances, but it does take intention. When you do, your relationships are better with those close to you and strangers in line at BJ's.
Gratitude Triggers Healthy Brain Activity
Research shows that expressing gratitude activates brain regions that release "feel-good" neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. Practicing gratitude daily boosts your mood and well-being while enhancing your brain's ability to adapt and learn.
In addition, this habit impacts the neuroplasticity of your brain. It causes your brain to make new connections, which improves your ability to learn and adapt. This daily practice trains your brain to be more resilient and a faster learner.
I never want to stop learning and I refuse to become stagnant in my knowledge and skills. I will continue to practice gratitude as long as I am able to keep my brain sharp and continue in my lifelong learning quest.
Gratitude Challenges Limiting Beliefs
By focusing on the positive, gratitude helps counter limiting beliefs and fosters a more optimistic mindset. It empowers individuals to recognize their potential and encourages positive change.
About a year ago, I learned more about limiting beliefs—thoughts that restrict us concerning our abilities, self-worth, or life in general. Before understanding this concept, I was unaware of how I was self-sabotaging with false beliefs.
Recently, while on a boat trip in Antelope Canyon at Lake Powell, I talked with an 89-year-old woman who mentioned she couldn't swim. She was anxious about the boat trip - just like she was anxious anytime she was around deep water. Despite trying to learn twice, she concluded that her body wasn't capable of swimming. I found this surprising; she seemed like anyone else. It made me reflect on how much joy she might have lost due to this limiting belief and how much less anxiety she would have in her life if she had practiced daily gratitude years ago and tried a third (or maybe fourth) time to learn to swim.
Are you ready to start your daily gratitude journey?
Here are two simple steps:
First, start small.
Choose a method to document three things you're grateful for each day. I use the Monk Manual, which has a "Gratitude" section, but you could also use a voice memo on your phone. The key is to find a way to capture your gratitude that works for you.
Second, make it a habit.
Use habit stacking to incorporate gratitude journaling into your daily routine. For example, I write down three things I'm grateful for during breakfast. I keep my Monk Manual on the table and use the Atoms app to record my practice each morning.
Creating a daily gratitude practice requires intention, but it can help you feel less entitled, strengthen relationships, and build resilience against limiting beliefs.
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