What is gratitude, and how to practice gratitude?

For those who aren't familiar with Gratitude, the feeling of gratitude is a deep appreciation for all that we have in life. It's not just about counting your blessings but also meaningfully and sincerely appreciating them. For example, one person can be grateful for having a roof over their head, while another might be grateful they can eat three meals daily.

Gratitude has been shown to benefit our physical health and mental well-being. In addition, studies show that practising gratitude can lower stress levels, improve sleep quality and strengthen relationships with others. In this article, you'll learn about gratitude's science and how it can improve your life!
What is gratitudeGratitude is a positive emotion we feel when focusing on the good things in our lives. It's not about focusing on what you don't have but appreciating what you do. Gratitude can be practised in many ways and every day, even if it only takes a few seconds to pause and reflect on all the great things in your life. When we practice gratitude, we live happier lives because we feel more satisfied with our current situation.
How to practice gratitudeThe best way to practice gratitude is by keeping a gratitude journal. This can be done in several ways, like writing down your grateful thoughts on paper or typing them up and saving them as a text document. Alternatively, you can use an app like [the Gratitude App], which allows you to record your experiences and emotions over time in the form of photos and videos. Having a gratitude journal allows you to reflect on what makes you happy - whether it be a memory from the past or something extraordinary happening right now!

Here are some other ways that I've found helpful in maintaining my sense of gratitude:

• Keeping track of good things that happened each day (happy moments count too)
• Putting positive affirmations around my room/house (writing positive messages on sticky notes). This helps me see myself as someone who has good things happen to them every day :) You could also write these affirmations down in your gratitude journal at the end of each day if they're not already there.
• Looking back at previous entries when I feel low - helps remind me how far I have come since then, so I can look forward again with hope rather than dwelling on the past.

Conclusion
I hope this article has helped you learn more about what it means to be grateful. Gratitude is a powerful tool that can change your life, but only if you practice it. So what are you waiting for? Get started right now!

According to Harvard University, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness in positive psychology research. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.

​Mona M. Bee