Feeling grateful for the things we have is associated with improved well-being. 1 It turns out that practicing gratitude could also have other benefits. Elena Iacono, Senior Manager of transformation health and wellness services at Transformation Health, and Heather Keylor, Registered Dietitian and Mindfulness Coach at Transformation Healthcare, discuss what it means to practice gratitude, why it benefits us, and how to integrate it into our daily habits.

What is gratitude?

Gratitude can be defined 2 as a feeling of appreciation or recognition and a “state of thankfulness”.

Elena says that gratitude is about identifying what you already have, seeing your possible, and growing the moment you are in. It is about recognizing that what you have is great, but you also need to be sensitive to what you may do for others.

According to Heather, setting aside a portion of your day to reflect on and appreciate the positives in your life is key to fully practicing gratitude. “It's not just being aware of having recognition. “, she says. “It's also about taking the time to notice that you feel that recognition. 

What are the benefits of practicing gratitude?

There are various benefits associated with feeling grateful and expressing it.

Elena says that being aware of what you have clears your mind. It assists you to calm down and becoming less stressed. It also helps you explore any existential thoughts, which happen to everyone from time to time.

Studies suggest that focusing on our blessings may also have interpersonal benefits. 3 According to Heather, being grateful allows you to appreciate others and helps build positive relationships. Studies have shown that expressing gratitude to our partner can help improve the quality of our relationship, just as expressing gratitude to our friends can help strengthen friendships. 5 Thus, people who practice gratitude are associated with having better access to social support.

Experiment 7 asked participants to write and deliver thank-you letters. The results showed marked increases in reported joy levels and decreases in participants' depressive symptoms well after the thank your letters were delivered.

Practicing gratitude can also help improve our sleep, 8 build resilience, 9 and improve our overall state of well-being. This practice is also associated with lower blood pressure 11 as well as better overall physical or psychological healthcare. With so many benefits, you might be wondering how to add the practice of gratitude to your routine. Elena and Heather say it's very easy to adopt this practice.

How to start practicing gratitude

You can incorporate gratitude into your day in different ways. Both Elena and Heather insist that this practice requires little time and effort for you to feel the benefits.

Heather and her husband struggle to reflect on the things they are grateful for at the end of the day. We always describe every other something for which we are thankful in each of the following types: general, for each other, our dog, and our health through a psych evaluation near me. Everyone's "categories" may differ, but Heather says it's a great way to focus on specific things and feel gratitude for them.

Some ways to practice gratitude:

• Set aside a minute a day to simply pause, reflect, and be in the moment at least once during your day.
• Express your gratitude at meals. Think of all that has been deployed to bring the meal before you.
• Make it a family activity by going around the table so that each person mentions something they are grateful for, such as during dinner.
• Express your gratitude to at least one person a day. It could be your partner, the cashier at the grocery store, or anyone who has had a positive influence on your day.

Remember the things you feel grateful for don't have to be grand. You can perfectly be grateful for a coffee, a hot shower, or the smell of cinnamon rolls.

Elena says that you can be grateful for everything and anything. Be thankful for everything that brings you happiness. Don't be ashamed of the things you feel grateful for or the things you enjoy doing that make you feel good.

Heather adds that however you practice gratitude, do it by being authentic. "Anyway, just do it," she says. It does not matter if you do it by an app, write it in a journal, or say it out loud. Be patient with yourself.