Practicing Gratitude

Gratitude is "the quality of being thankful" or "readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness" (Oxford Dictionary, 2023). Gratitude is a practice and process that allows us to express our thankfulness. 

The practice of gratitude is one of the most simple, accessible, and effective ways to improve mental health. Instead of focusing on losses and things that are going poorly, gratitude forces us to shift our focus to our successes and things that are going well.

Gratitude also challenges us to think about mundane details that we often take for granted, such as breathing, electricity, running water, etc.

If you want to practice gratitude, start with this analogy:

1. Picture your life as a garden.
   Your life is filled with many elements, like a garden with multiple plants and flowers. 

2. You water the garden with gratitude.
   Just as you would water plants to keep them alive, you can nourish the positive elements in your life by being grateful.

3. The more you water the garden, the more growth you will have.
   As growth occurs in a frequently watered garden, so will growth occur in your life as you practice gratitude. The more you show gratitude, the more you will have to be thankful for.

Try writing down five things that you're thankful for every day. These can be typical, everyday items such as water, air, and food, or they can be people, places, opportunities, etc. Whatever you're thankful for, practice gratitude today!