Expressing gratitude is a practice that has immense health benefits. If you are someone who regularly sets aside time to reflect upon things in your life that you are thankful for, then you are certainly enjoying the numerous health benefits associated with this.
The medical world is of the opinion that people who practice gratitude as a way of life are happier, feel more alive, are more compassionate, have better sleep patterns and benefit from stronger immunity.
The Essence of Expressing Gratitude
Gratitude originates from the Latin word “Gratia”. This means grace, gratefulness or graciousness. Gratitude is hence, an appreciation of everything that a person receives in life, irrespective of whether it is tangible or intangible.
Appreciating the good things in your life helps you connect to other individuals, nature, or even a higher power.
You should remember that gratitude need not be reserved for special occasions – it is perfectly fine to be thankful for being able to enjoy a scrumptious biryani on a bright summer afternoon!
How Do People Express Gratitude?
Human beings express gratitude in several forms.
- Some people relive past memories and express gratitude for childhood events/blessings.
- There are several people who are thankful for the good fortune they have in the present, and don’t take things for granted.
- Some others maintain an optimistic approach to life and are thankful for their bright future.
The ability to express gratitude is a highly beneficial quality that can be cultivated by each one of us.
Tips on How to Inculcate the Habit of Expressing Gratitude
Here are some simple methods through which you can reap the benefits of gratitude:
- Focus on people more than events/material items – Man is a social animal. Our relationship with the people around us is an important indicator of our happiness. So, you can try to focus your gratitude towards people you are thankful for, rather than material items or circumstances.
You may also express your gratitude to the concerned person, and this is likely to result in a memorable event for both of you. For instance, you can write a gratitude letter to your favourite teacher or share your gratitude for family members at the dinner table. The conversation that would follow this act of yours would surely encourage you to continue the practice of expressing gratitude.
- Take up gratitude journaling – In order to inculcate a habit of being grateful, it is advised to maintain a gratitude journal. When writing such a journal, it is important to note that you should describe the individual event that you are thankful for.
For instance, you may be grateful for having understanding parents, but when journaling, it is important to drill down to the basics. So a meaningful entry in your journal would read “I am thankful for the beautiful cake my mom baked me for my birthday.”, instead of “I am grateful for having an amazing mom”.
It is important to notice new things that happen around you each day; open your eyes to the world and this will definitely enhance your appreciation of life!
- Try alternate methods – You need not limit yourself to one method of expressing gratitude. If you find that gratitude journaling turns out to be a monotonous exercise after a while, you can try out other creative ways to keep track of your beautiful moments.
There are several people who write down events they are grateful for on a small piece of paper. This message is then collected in a jar till the end of the year. They review their special moments at year-end, and this certainly gives them ample reasons to celebrate life at the dawn of the New Year.
Conclusion
You can easily find formats of gratitude workbooks and journal entries on the internet that can be used for increasing your practice of this virtue. Develop the “attitude of gratitude” and open the doors to more meaningful relationships in life!
Short Essay on Gratitude is Great – 300 words
Recent studies show that expressing gratitude assures you several health benefits. This includes improved sleep patterns and a boost in immunity. People who regularly practice this virtue are also seen to be more compassionate and happy.
Gratitude is essentially an appreciation of all that you have been endowed with in life. If you are appreciative of the good things in your life, you will also connect better with others and the universe as a whole.
How is Gratitude Expressed?
You should note that being thankful need not be set aside for special occasions or unique events. For instance, you can certainly be grateful for the promotion you received after toiling for several years, but you can also be thankful for the beautiful birthday cake you whipped up on a Sunday afternoon!
People express gratitude in multiple ways:
- Reliving the past – Some people reminisce the events of the past and are thankful for their blessings.
- Staying in the present – There are many who stay in the present and give gratitude for the little joys of life.
- Looking forward to a bright future – Optimistic people think about their bright future and are grateful for the events that promise them happiness in the future.
Simple Ways in Which You can Express Gratitude
- Take up gratitude journaling – You can inculcate the habit of keeping a journal wherein you list down the events/people that have made a positive impact. This is a very effective way in which you can be thankful for the small things that happen every day.
- Focus on people – Some individuals find it easier to be thankful for the wonderful people they know, rather than events or material items. They also express their gratitude to the concerned individual through channels such as gratitude letters. This makes the act of expressing gratitude a very pleasant and memorable experience for both.
- Explore other methods – You need not stick to the norms while practising this virtue. You can come up with innovative ways to be thankful. For instance, jotting down your blessings regularly on a piece of paper and putting these into a jar is a simple and therapeutic experience. You may go through the messages at the end of the year to see how abundantly you have been blessed that year.
Being grateful guarantees you years of happiness and good health. You also establish more meaningful relationships with people.
Image by John Hain from Pixabay
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