As I’m sitting on the back deck this sunny Spring morning, it’s warm with a slight breeze, the birds are chirping, and I’m sipping on a comforting cup of coffee; it is such a relaxing and blissful feeling. I feel grateful to have the experience of the moment where nothing else has my attention but the peace. Then, my attention goes to my gratitude for my family, as I still have all of my loved ones in my life. I get to talk to my parents and my siblings whenever I want to, I get to watch my children growing up, I get to do life with an incredible partner. I feel such gratitude for the peaceful moment and the life I have right now. I recognize that the conditions of life will change and realize that there is no greater experience for me than this morning feeling. It is a sense of presence and gratitude.
Take a Moment to Feel Gratitude
I truly hope that you can relate to this feeling to some degree. It doesn’t necessarily happen so readily each day. This morning’s conditions make the gratitude come easily. And it doesn’t mean there aren’t stressors and discomforts, but those don’t need attention every moment. My friend spends each morning focused on this, no matter whether the birds are chirping or not. She writes in her 4-2-1 Gratitude journal. She takes the time to describe 4 feelings of gratitude, 2 blessings for others and 1 wish or hope for herself. I believe that we can often choose where to put our attention, so I admire that my friend chooses this each morning. It sets her mind and heart in a positive direction for what comes during the day ahead.
Gratitude Has Health Benefits
Aside from a positive attitude to approach our day, it has been shown that gratitude has clear health benefits. Actively practicing gratitude, as my friend is doing, improves mood and sleep. Those who struggle with the common combination of anxiety, depression, and sleep disturbance may benefit from keeping such a daily gratitude journal. Expressing gratitude directly to another will have hormonal effects, and mood-lifting. Research has also shown that there will be positive benefits even without expressing gratitude in a letter or in person, but simply by thinking about what you are grateful for and feeling the emotion. It is seen that, like exercise, the regular practice has a longer-term impact on the body. Gratitude practice engages the parasympathetic nervous system to have a calming effect. It induces this “rest and digest” state and can reduce blood pressure and heart rate, improve digestion, and has also been shown to affect immunity.
You can see how sometimes gratitude is passive, as it just strikes you, like when sitting in the Spring sunshine. Gratitude can be a more active endeavor, like taking the time to do a 4-2-1 Gratitude journal at the beginning of your day, for example. It is simple and doesn’t require much time to stimulate these mental and physical health benefits. You may be grateful, feeling that sense of thankfulness for a person, a feeling, an experience, or whatever it is you realize you are grateful for today. You may feel gratitude for the same person often or the recognition that you are pain-free today. Be genuine with yourself for this practice.
Where Will You Put Your Attention?
Remember that you have the power to choose where you put your attention. It may be hard to take your attention away from physical or emotional pain, addictive cravings, or tiredness. It takes five minutes to focus on something you are grateful for, even amidst the stressors and discomforts that may also exist in your life. This is a small, positive way to balance the struggles and gain true health benefits.