Small, healthy habits can have a positive impact on your mental health. A daily practice of expressing gratitude can improve your emotional and physical health, and even positively affect your self-esteem and build resilience.
What is gratitude?
The dictionary defines gratitude simply as “thankfulness.” You may already be practicing gratitude without knowing it. Keeping a gratitude journal, counting your blessings in prayer, or meditating on what went well each day are different ways of expressing gratitude.
Benefits of gratitude
- Gratitude makes you happier. Studies have shown that practicing gratitude can reduce feelings like envy, resentment, frustration, and regret.
- Gratitude improves self-esteem by reducing the tendency to compare oneself to others.
- Gratitude can help you get a good night’s sleep. In 2011, a study reported that 15 minutes of writing in a gratitude journal before bed helped people have better quality sleep for longer periods of time.
- Gratitude promotes healthier relationships. When you practice gratitude, empathy and sensitivity towards others increases.
- Gratitude impacts your physical health. Grateful people are more likely to exercise and attend regular check-ups.
How to practice gratitude
Practice makes perfect. The more you express feelings of gratitude, the easier it will be to return to a positive mindset. Each day, practice completing one or more of the following prompts.
Daily gratitude prompts:
- Today, I am grateful for...
- Three things that went well today are...
- I am happy to be alive today because…
- My favorite thing about today was…
- Today, I am most looking forward to…
- One person in my life that I am thankful for is…
- Something I learned today was…
Gratitude and mental health
Beginning a gratitude practice can positively impact your life. Studies show that gratitude can improve your physical, emotional, and mental health. While gratitude is not a replacement for therapy or medication for a diagnosable mental health condition, it is a lifestyle change that can work in conjunction with your treatment. Start small with a list of items you’re thankful for each day. In time, expressing gratitude will become second nature.
