“Navigating the Holidays” Series
Part 2: Cultivating Gratitude in the Season of Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and we tend to think about what we are thankful for during this time.
What is Gratitude and why is it important?
Gratitude is simply recognizing and appreciating the good things in your life, both big and small. Cultivating gratitude is important for many reasons including emotional, mental and physical benefits. First, it strengthens our relationships with ourselves and increases self-esteem. It improves relationships with others as it increases trust, empathy and closeness and encourages generosity. Gratitude helps us have compassion and understanding for ourselves and others, helps us have more grace and consideration since it puts events and situations into perspective for us. As we start to appreciate the small things in life, we begin to see things more positively, we let go of ego, we don’t take things too personally and we drop our defenses, softening our view of self and others. Gratitude also builds resilience. When you can find something to appreciate (even in difficult times), it strengthens our ability to cope. It also helps enhance mindfulness of the present moment by being aware of what’s here right now- not what’s missing. It takes you out of your all-consuming anxious and depressive states. Gratitude improves emotional well-being in other ways as well. It’s scientifically proven that our brain has difficulty being anxious and grateful at the same time as different brain systems are at work- anxiety triggers the brain’s threat system while gratitude engages the reward and regulation system. Depression and gratitude have opposite effects on the same reward circuitry so when you are feeling down, it is limiting and deactivating the reward center. Once you express gratitude, it reawakens and activates the reward center again. Finally, gratitude shifts your mindset from scarcity to abundance which gives hope and meaning to your life. This helps to reduce stress and improves sleep and overall health.
How can we build our sense of gratitude?
There are many ways to build gratitude in daily life.
Daily Gratitude Journal. Write down 3-5 things each day that you are grateful for. Be specific. Reflect on why you’re grateful for each. Consider reflecting on small, easily overlooked moments as well.
Write a Gratitude Letter. Write a letter to someone you appreciate but haven’t properly thanked, describing what they did and how it impacted you. You can choose to send it or not.
Practice “savoring the moment”. Take a moment each day to pause and notice something you’re grateful for right now in this moment. Engage your senses fully. Reflect on how this feels within your body.
Gratitude Before Sleep. Reflect on one good thing that happened during the day.
Gratitude Buddy or Family Ritual. Share one thing you’re grateful for each day with a partner, family member or friend.
Acts of Kindness. Engage in 1 act of kindness each day. Reflect on gratitude for that person or act.
This time of year reminds us to be thankful but it’s important to continue to express gratitude after Thanksgiving is over. Implementing the strategies above and making them a part of your daily routine will help you remain in a Gratitude mindset well past Thanksgiving.