Gratitude
One of the best things you can do for your health and happiness is to think in terms of what you are grateful for. The strategy is overwhelmingly simple—but it is effective. Practicing gratitude will help you realize that there is always a reason to be thankful. Don’t know how to start your gratitude practice? Here are some tips.
First, it is recommend that you keep a journal. Every day, try to list 3-5 things that you are grateful for, such as having a house or food on your plate or a warm bed to sleep in. Try to vary your responses every single day and go into as much detail as you can. By doing this exercise, you will start to appreciate the little things in life.
Research was also conducted on keeping a gratitude journal. The study found that when people noted what they were grateful for daily, their moods were elevated. Furthermore, the research went on, looking at three separate groups, and found similar effects throughout.
You can also practice gratitude by nurturing your friendships, smiling more often, going out in nature and noticing its beauty, volunteering for organizations in your community, rewarding the efforts of those who help you out, living more mindfully, meditating, sending love to your friends and enemies, focusing on your strengths, and seeking the opportunity to learn from your mistakes. Hopefully, you noticed that some of these practices in gratitude are repeats from this list!
One last thing: Growing older can help you be more grateful for things in your life and will make you happier as well. This is because most older people learn how to cope with disappointment and loss in a more healthy way. That gives a whole new spin on maturity.
