Why Gratitude Matters?

Why Gratitude Matters? Why should we practice gratitude? How is it going to benefit us? There are so many questions about practicing gratitude. Being thankful and repeatedly showing gratitude for what we have or what we focus on has tremendous benefits on our physical health and mental well being.

Here is how practicing gratitude has changed me over the past year

Feeling of abundance :

When we make a list of things that we are grateful for, we realize that we are privileged than most of the people in this world.  We may not have the dream job, the dream car or own the beautiful home on the block. But, if we have clean water to drink, decent clothes to wear, can afford to eat at least one meal a day and have a roof on the top, then we definitely belong to the privileged population. Practicing gratitude and feeling thankful for all the goodness in life brings in the sense of abundance.

Focusing on the positives and complaining less

When we sit down to make a gratitude list, we try to focus on the positives in our lives.  There are countless things which we see and experience every day but totally ignore or take it for granted.

Each night before I hit the bed I try to come up with 3 things that I am thankful for.  As I repeatedly jotted down the simple things that I once used to forsee, I slowly saw a change in myself.  I noticed that I complain less! There are so many things to be thankful for rather whine and complain. 

Here are a few items from my everyday gratitude list

Today am thankful for –

• Less traffic on the way back home from office  
• Donuts that a co-worker had brought
• Favorite song on the radio made me smile
• City workers for cleaning the snow

Reduced stress and improved sleep

Trying to find something to be grateful for even in a tough day helps us see the positive aspect in every situation. When we flex our gratitude muscle every day, we gradually become more optimistic. As a by-product of optimism and less negativity, I have seen my stress levels go down.

A year ago, I was way more stressed about many things in my life that I don’t even control. Practicing gratitude has brought a sense of contentment and joy which is helping me let go things I cannot control. 

How to incorporate Gratitude Practice in our busy lives?

Now, we understand why Gratitude is important. But can we practice gratitude in our lives? Here are 5 simple ways to practice gratitude everyday.

Do you practice gratitude? How has it helped you? Share your thoughts in the comments below.