Gratitude Changes Everything: Part two

In part one of this blog post, we covered why gratitude is beneficial and two ways to incorporate it into your life. In part two, we will learn two more strategies and then discuss how to start. To review, Gratitude Changes Everything. Practicing gratitude helps you maintain a positive mood, achieve greater emotional well-being, and results in higher overall life satisfaction. It is called gratitude “practice” because the more you practice it, the larger the benefits and the easier it is to do. Now, on to more strategies.

Create a Reverse Bucket List

Everyone has heard of a bucket list, but what about a Reverse Bucket List? A Reverse Bucket List is when you write down all the things you have already accomplished. 

Think about all the things you have done in your life. What have you accomplished that you are the proudest of? Where have you traveled? What about birthing a child, surviving a heartbreak, earning a degree? There are all kinds of things you can identify once you start reflecting.

The purpose of a Reverse Bucket List is to remind you of all you have done and experienced rather than focusing on all you have not yet achieved. Spend time reflecting on your list and feeling grateful.

Savoring and Appreciating

Savoring and Appreciating are turbo-charged ways to experience gratitude. I say turbo-charged, because the mindfulness required to notice, savor, and appreciate the things around you not only increases your gratitude, but also reduces your stress.

Look around your environment and take note of one or more things you take for granted.

Think about what inspires awe in you... a beautiful sunset, a towering tree, the laugh of an infant, the kindness of strangers... experiencing awe is a turbo-charged way of savoring and appreciating. If you need some inspiration, check out this 4 minute video from Greater Good.

Are you convinced that gratitude practice might be for you? Let’s talk about how to start.

ONE SMALL ACTION CAN RESULT IN SIGNIFICANT CHANGE. Think of throwing a rock in a pond and watching it ripple. Pick one small way to integrate gratitude into your day and try it for a week.

Do not worry if you forget a day, do not worry if you forget a few. One strategy that helps me remember when I try to form a new habit is called Habit Stacking. Habit Stacking is when you pair something you already do mindlessly with something you want to start doing. Every day I think of one thing I am grateful for when I brush my teeth. At first, I had to put a sticky note on my bathroom mirror to help me remember but soon, practicing gratitude became as natural and automatic as brushing my teeth.

Good luck!

I would love to hear from you in the comments. Do you already have a gratitude practice? Did you begin with one of these suggestions? Tell us how you are doing with it.