7 Proven Methods to Increase Gratitude in Your Life
Gratitude is a general state of appreciation that has been proven to raise your vibration so you can live a happier, more fulfilled life.
Gratitude also helps reduce depression symptoms, increases productivity, and reduces blood pressure. By focusing on gratitude, you’re looking for the good in all situations and by focusing on the good, more good will manifest in your life.
Even the most difficult situations have hidden blessings, so find the gratitude lesson and keep it in your focus.
Practicing one or all of these seven methods is sure to enhance your life with the power of gratitude.
Use Gratitude Lists
If you follow me on Pinterest, you know how much I love my gratitude pins. These pins always include one item from my daily gratitude list. I prefer to do my gratitude list at night because it gives me a moment to reflect on my day.
You can write your gratitude list down or you can verbalize it out loud with a loved one to get them involved.
I recommend a minimum of 5 items on the gratitude list, but even focusing on one thing is better than not experiencing gratitude for something during the day. This is also a perfect time to teach your children about gratitude as you share your gratitude lists together.
Write a Letter of Gratitude
Think of an experience that involved another person that gave you a sense of appreciation. This does not have to be sent as it’s for your benefit.
The letter can even be to someone you don’t know, such as a kind person letting you ahead of them in a long line or a compliment from a stranger. Write the letter with sincerity and explain how much you appreciated their actions.
Go into detail about how their actions made you feel. If you want to give the person the letter, that’s perfectly fine, but it’s not a requirement.
Visualize the Best Possible Version of Yourself and Write About It
What experiences do you want to have in life? How do you want to carry yourself? How do you want others to see you?
This is a visualization exercise that can help manifest feelings of gratitude for your future self. If you can visualize your future self in your mind, you have the power to become this person in the now.
Everyone who is successful started with a thought and a visualization that they turned into their reality. Focus on this in your writing and be grateful now for everything you’ll accomplish.
Write a Thank You Note
Yes, this is different from writing a letter of gratitude.
Unlike the letter of gratitude, I do recommend delivering the thank you note and sharing your gift of gratitude.
Thank you notes can be written directly to the person or to a person’s manager or guardian/parent. Not only does it feel good to share your gratitude with others, but it also makes the receiving person feel the benefits as well.
Journal About What You’re Grateful For:
Unlike a gratitude list, the journal entry provides more details explaining your feelings of gratitude for the experience, person, or object.
Like the list, this is best done at the end of the day to help you reflect on experiences that brought you happiness.
If you’re having a difficult time thinking about what makes you feel grateful, think of contrasts. For example, what would today have been like without your house, your electricity, your family, your pets, food, air…well,...you get the picture.
Do Positive Affirmations
Positive affirmations are a form of self gratitude that decrease feelings of powerlessness and enhance self love.
There are several YouTube videos that have audio of positive affirmations you can repeat to yourself, several blog posts, Pinterest, or even better- you can write your own affirmations.
Affirmations are “I am” statements that put you in the driver’s seat of your mind state. Even if something hasn’t occurred in your life yet, know that it is on it’s way and declare it now.
I am happy, I am healthy, I am living my best life, I am letting go of the past, or I am successful are all examples of positive affirmations. You write them down or just say them aloud (whichever works best for you).
Think About Something or Someone That Makes you Feel Grateful
Lazy gratitude is still gratitude and I definitely have lazy days from time-to-time.
This method is perfect for someone who has difficulties with future visualizations and has zero interest in journaling, writing letters, or writing lists. Although this method requires some visualization, the visualization is replaying a scenario in your mind that has already occurred. That’s it. Just think of something (or someone) that made you happy and think about why it (or they) made you feel grateful.
Thank you for reading and don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest for more gratitude!