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| Huge thank you to my friend Joe Sweeney for the photos! Check out more on his gratitude practice on his website here: www.thejoesweeney.com |
On Wednesday, I had the privilege of hosting a party at Dream Bank. Not just any old party, but a gratitude party!
We've all been hearing a lot about gratitude lately. These days, there's a lot of science and a lot of evidence to support the fact that gratitude is good for us.
It can make us more optimistic, improve our overall well-being, increase our 'happiness baseline' (what's said to be our genetically predetermined 'normal' level of happiness that we return to regularly), and strengthen our friendships and romantic relationships.
It can help us succeed in our careers, find mentors, and become more productive.
And, the most fascinating part from my perspective - it can help us live longer. It can improve our sleep, reduce our pain, decrease the number of times we go to the doctor, and even make us exercise more.
Clearly, it's a useful thing to do.
But how do we actually incorporate it into our daily lives?
Easy, really. Here are a few of my favorite ways.
1. A Gratitude Journal
A number of my friends keep gratitude journals and report some pretty incredible results from doing so. I've done it on and off over the years, and have to say, I agree. Not only does journaling about gratitude give us perspective and have the ability to increase our optimism over time, but it also can serve as a useful tool to look back on during rough patches. A regular journal works great if you like to use paper (I recommend something beautiful like this that you love to write in); otherwise, if you're more drawn to electronic solutions, my favorite gratitude app is this one, which is beautiful to use and also provides space to upload photos from your day.
2. Hand-Written Letters and Notes of Gratitude
This is what Wednesday's party was all about! This is as simple as it sounds - write a note or a letter to the people in your life you're thankful for. Feel free to include the obvious people like friends and family - and also allow yourself to expand your list to include the less-obvious people you interact with regularly at the coffee shop, at the parking garage, or at the reception desk.
To take this to the next level, instead of mailing the letter, hand deliver it, and read it to the person out loud. Skeptical? Check out this video; you might change your mind.
3. Get Creative
Unleash your inner artist by getting crafty. Consider creating your own gratitude calendar, creating a jar of gratitude, or compiling and sending someone a 'box of delight.'
4. Just Think About It
No stamps in the house, or not feeling crafty? That's okay. Just thinking about what you're grateful for brings us a lot of the same benefits. Reflecting each night before bed or when you wake up in the morning, or mentally thanking someone during the day are both great options that don't take up any time or require any supplies.
Want to learn more about gratitude? Consider stopping in at Dream Bank in the next couple months to check out the gratitude exhibit or another gratitude talk.
Have your own strategies for cultivating gratitude? I'd love to hear about them in the comments!
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