For people from all walks of life, gratitude has increasingly become an essential part of mindfulness and self-awareness. In addition, thankfulness has incredible psychological benefits, and people can harness the power of gratitude in a wide range of ways. So let’s explore the meaning of gratitude.
Definitions of Gratefulness
The word grateful comes from the Latin root gratis, meaning pleasing or thankful. In medieval Latin and Old French, the word gratitudo expressed gratitude. Finally, in Old English, the word thanc also expresses gratitude or appreciation.
Simply, gratefulness, thankfulness, or gratitude is a heartfelt appreciation for the goodness outside of ourselves. Gratitude is given freely and positively affirms the object of gratitude, acknowledging its value.
Today, gratitude and thankfulness are so common that America even has a holiday devoted to the principle. And yet, most people don’t truly understand gratitude and its power to transform your thinking.
The Power of Gratitude
Gratefulness is an emotion that has only recently garnered serious research, and yet the findings have been consistent and important. Here are some of the proven benefits of gratitude that we have uncovered so far:
Promotes Psychological Healing
Practicing gratitude is a powerful tool for managing poor mental health and improving psychological outcomes.
Improves Self-Esteem
There is a strong correlation between gratitude and self-esteem. This is important because thankfulness is often seen as disempowering, coming from a position of weakness. On the contrary, research shows that people with a high sense of personal power are the most grateful, and that practicing gratitude can improve our self-esteem and sense of agency and control in our lives.
Strengthens Interpersonal Relationships
Many studies show how important gratefulness can be in improving our social and interpersonal relationships. These stronger relationships not only reduce stress and ease loneliness but improve our overall quality of life.
Improves Mental Resiliency
Gratitude actually helps protect us from negative emotions, helping us stay calm when faced with challenges and improve the speed at which we can recover from setbacks.
Makes Life More Meaningful
Finally, gratitude can help us believe that our lives are more meaningful. This sense of meaning is one of our highest states of being, filled with meaning and purpose.
For people who practice the Law of Attraction, gratitude is the highest vibrational energy we can generate and resonates at the same frequency as universal love. Therefore, the more we feel appreciation, the more we have to appreciate.
How to Practice Mindful Gratitude
Our brains are hard-wired to pay attention to problems and negative emotions. They present problems that the brain works very hard to solve, often keeping us awake at night or dwelling in our consciousness for years. This means that the positive aspects of our lives, the things that are going well and aren’t a problem, can often be overlooked and under-appreciated.
A practice of gratitude helps to re-train the brain to pay conscious attention to the positive aspects of our lives, giving us a more balanced perspective and improving well-being. Here are some ways to practice gratitude every day.
Conduct a Thankfulness Thought Experiment
Close your eyes and imagine that you lost everything you now have – all your possessions, your loved ones, your home, your health, your job … really allow yourself to imagine this situation, feeling the grief, desperation, and sense of loss.
Then imagine that everything is magically restored to you. Imagine how happy you would be to reunite with the ones you love, to have a home and your possessions, and to be restored to health.
Write down what you feel in this moment of reunion and renewed appreciation. Write down every detail you notice, everything you are happy to see, feel, smell, taste, and touch. This exercise is a great starting place to make yourself more aware of everything you have, enjoy, and can be grateful for.
Practice Gratitude Meditation
There are many ways to incorporate gratitude into a meditation practice or make gratitude the subject of your meditation.
First, choose a guided meditation that focuses on gratitude.
Second, make your own gratefulness mantra and use it when meditating.
Finally, add a gratitude prompt to your traditional meditation and focusing techniques. For example, take a deep breath. Appreciate how smoothly your lungs function, filling and powering your body. Relax your toes. Appreciate how well your feet have carried you on your life’s journey.
Keep a Gratitude Journal
Keeping a gratitude journal is arguably the best way to re-program your brain to gratitude. Here’s how to get the most value from a gratitude journal:
- Write down five things you are thankful for every day
- Write in complete sentences, starting with ‘I am grateful for … ‘
- Be as specific as possible (for example, instead of ‘I am grateful for my health,’ write ‘I am grateful that I am free from physical pain and discomfort at this moment’)
- Make it personal. When possible, focus on people rather than things
- Feel the feelings. Take a moment to truly pause and feel the gratitude and appreciation flowing through you for everything you list.
If you need help getting started, there are several excellent gratitude journals that contain prompts and inspiration to help you cultivate a grateful mind.
Conclusion
Gratitude may seem so simple that we take it for granted, saying ‘thanks’ to everyone all the time. Yet, it’s one of the most powerful emotions we can experience and has many benefits for our body, mind, and spirit. Starting a daily gratefulness practice is an incredible way to improve your mood, relationships, and life, and it’s effortless to do.