Why Gratitude Matters Now
Five years ago, I found myself in a general rut… under a cloud… you get it. Professionally things were not going in the direction I would have liked and personally, things were - at best - simply fine.
I began researching motivational ideas and stumbled on a book by Greg Jacobson called Think Yourself Happy. At first, I was skeptical. Just the title alone made me cringe. But, seeing as it was a free book (at the time) and a quick read, I decided to give it a chance. Besides what did I have to lose, right?
Well, the book turned out to be helpful. It had five realistic strategies to follow, one of which I actually embraced daily and still practice today.
The strategy was gratitude. Like many, I considered myself to be a grateful person before. But, the gratitude Jacobson talked about required consistency, intentionality, and purpose.
What is gratitude?
“Gratitude is appreciation in the now. It’s love for what is. It’s a state of grace. Living in gratitude is the perpetual act of being thankful. This state is also one of the deepest, most meaningful, and sustainable forms of happiness there is. And this feeling is available to you at any time you choose.”
The last part is my favorite because it is true. Gratitude is - for lack of better words - on demand.
You may be asking yourself, why am I bringing up the importance of gratitude now?
As I look around the world, major crises are going on almost everywhere. If it is not COVID-19 directly, it is related to pre-existing social and economic issues and injustices. It is all quite overwhelming on a global and personal level.
This is where gratitude kicks in. Robert Emmons, Professor of Psychology at the University of California, Davis and the global leading expert on gratitude written about how gratitude can help amidst adversity.
“When faced with adversity, gratitude helps us see the big picture and not feel overwhelmed by the setbacks we’re facing at the moment… that attitude of gratitude can actually motivate us to tackle the challenges before us. Without a doubt, it can be hard to take this grateful perspective, but research suggests it is possible, and it is worth it.”
These challenging times will pass but it is going to take time. There is no getting around it. The best thing we can do is prepare and equip ourselves with ways to keep our focus on the positive. Gratitude can help us do that. Below are some ways to practice gratitude every day, or in those moments when you may need a quick pick up:
Keep a daily gratitude journal - “Setting aside time on a daily basis to recall moments of gratitude associated with ordinary events, your personal attributes, or valued people in your life gives you the potential to interweave a sustainable life theme of gratefulness,” says Emmon (UC Davis Medical School). (Spoiler Alert - I did this consistently for a year and it worked.)
Write a thank-you note - “You can make yourself happier and nurture your relationship with another person by writing a thank-you letter expressing your enjoyment and appreciation of that person's impact on your life. Send it, or better yet, deliver and read it in person if possible. Make a habit of sending at least one gratitude letter a month. Once in a while, write one to yourself.” (Harvard Medical School)
Count your blessings - “Pick a time every week to sit down and write about your blessings — reflecting on what went right or what you are grateful for. Sometimes it helps to pick a number — such as three to five things — that you will identify each week. As you write, be specific and think about the sensations you felt when something good happened to you.” (Harvard Medical School)
Meditate - “Mindfulness meditation involves focusing on the present moment without judgment. Although people often focus on a word or phrase (such as "peace"), it is also possible to focus on what you're grateful for (the warmth of the sun, a pleasant sound, etc.).” (Harvard Medical School)
We created the tool below to help you practice gratitude. It is available for download here.
