We live in an extremely fast-paced world. Since the introduction of social media, through scrolling and swiping on our technological devices, we’ve aged faster without realizing it, and our lives end up getting swept up from trend to trend. We spend so much time focusing on the lives of others, that we end up forgetting or procrastinating our own goals and aspirations.
In the process, we see so many people on our screens who seem to ‘do more’ and they look ‘more successful’ and ‘productive’ than us. This causes us to live in so much self-loathing and self-doubt, to the point we forget we’re all on different pathways and journeys.
Practicing gratitude helps us change our perspective on things we interface regularly, and it definitely helps boost our mental health. With that, here are some of the benefits of practicing gratitude.
Gratitude Helps us Live in the Present
Every time the topic of gratitude is brought up, the first thing that comes to mind is living in every moment. To live in every moment means soaking up and being fully aware of what is going on in your life presently, without thinking about the past and worrying about the future. This helps you to appreciate your surroundings more. The perfect way to examine how living in every moment plays out is when we travel to a new country for holiday.
When we travel anywhere, it’s usually an exciting and possibly surreal experience. We want to explore as much as possible, visit tourist attractions and just be at peace. However, to the locals and citizens who live in these countries, they get so used to their environment, that they are not fully aware of the beauty and joy that surrounds them. What seems like such a big deal to you, is a daily occurrence to them, as there’s this feeling of not having anything exciting to look forward to.
Even when you move out of your hometown and come back a few years later, there’s sometimes this aura of nostalgia you get when you go back, regardless of if you hated or loved your hometown. Our problem is we never realize these things until we’re gone, then we end up reminiscing on the past or looking forward to the future.
Through practicing gratitude consistently, you have the ability to be intentional about absorbing and soaking in the beauty and joy of your life and surroundings.
Gratitude Increases Our Happiness
There is always something to be grateful for. The thing about gratitude is that literally the smallest thing counts as something you should be satisfied and grateful you have. When you’re sick, and you feel slightly weak, during those times you don’t feel yourself, the next response is probably to reminisce on times when you were completely well and took those times for granted.
Through gratitude, you’re consistently in a state of appreciation and awareness, which makes you realize should be happy and proud of your life and your surroundings, as little alterations in our daily life can possibly make a huge impact without us realizing.
Gratitude Increases Confidence and Self-Esteem
When you’re in an aura of gratitude and appreciation, you feel better about yourself physically and mentally which boosts your confidence. Gratitude helps you carry yourself better, and knowing and understanding you’re going to be okay regardless of what comes your way makes you generally projected in a higher esteem and confidence than when you always linger on the past, worry about the future and stay disappointed on what hasn’t happened.
Gratitude Makes You Sleep Better
Having a clear mind and a heart full of gratitude makes you sleep better, as you don’t feel burdened with your surroundings. Gratitude keeps you at peace and makes you more light-hearted to watch things play out.
Here are different ways to actually practice gratitude and incorporate it into your life:
Start a Gratitude Journal: This is a journal where you can track every time something good happens to you, and every day, you can actively try to write and recall things to be grateful for.
@_lisa__marie___ Sometimes we forget the importance of thankfulness… we have to be intentional about seeing and accepting what we really have. #intentions #podcastclips #affirmations #gratitude #inspiration ♬ original sound - Lisa Marie / Seasoned Dialogue
Meditate on Your Surroundings More: Meditation is more than just sitting cross-legged in a yoga pose and making weird sounds. Meditation can be closing your eyes to reflect while you’re driving home, or just having quiet time at your job or at school. During this time, try to actively live in that moment and just absorb whatever is going on around you, regardless of if you think it’s good or bad. Gratitude helps you get to place when you realize that everything and every action aligned happens for a reason, and at the end of the day, it will be okay.
Have a Gratitude Jar: Gratitude Jars are another way to practice gratitude, and if you’re consistent, at the end of the year, you can reflect on how blessed you truly are, and how much you take for granted. At the end of each day (or each week), you write on a small piece of paper everything good that happened to you, and keep it in a jar. This gives you the ability to be more reflective as a person and slow down to embrace life more.
Be Nicer and More Appreciative of People Around You Thanking others and showing more appreciation towards people around you definitely makes you practice gratitude more, and you also help improve someone’s day too.
Pray: If you’re religious, prayer is a way of practicing gratitude and faith in your religion, as you’re being appreciative of what you have, what has been given to you, and hopeful for what is yet to come.
Gratitude is definitely a habit we should all cultivate in our daily lives, and it helps us become happier and more peaceful.
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