How to practice gratitude
1. Keep a gratitude journal.
One of the most popular—and easiest—ways to practice gratitude is keeping a gratitude journal, which entails regularly recording the things for which you are grateful for and maintaining it for days, weeks, or months, says Dr. Little. Asha Tarry, psychotherapist and life coach, specifically recommends writing down up to five things you’re grateful for at the end of each day. “Spending five minutes before bed simply listing just three gratitudes is a great way to end the day on a positive and thankful note, likely leading to a better night’s sleep,” adds Wiley.
2. Say what you’re grateful for out loud.
Beyond just writing down the things you’re grateful for, Tarry also suggests vocalizing them so you can hear yourself say them out loud. “By the end of the week, return to your journal and read each day’s journal entry aloud,” she advises. “Reciting your words aloud is a practice that positively alters one’s thinking…It’s also helpful to recite your words aloud so your mind begins to override mental chatter you’ve inherited from other sources.”
3. Share your gratitude with others.
Why not spread the positivity to others? Dr. Little suggests “exercises that convey appreciation for someone specific in your life,” such as writing a gratitude letter or paying a “gratitude visit”—which can entail anything from hand-delivering a thank you note or gift to a friend or calling a parent to say how grateful you are for them. Not only can it make us feel happier—as demonstrated in the 2005 gratitude letter study—it can also spread that happiness to others, and even boost our relationships with loved ones.
4. Reframe your complaints and negative thoughts.
Complaining about the annoying or bad things that happen in your life is often a part of our natural everyday dialogue—but reframing your thinking around these events can help transform your feelings to make you feel more grateful, says Tarry.
One specific exercise that she recommends is to sit in silence for 10 minutes at the end of each day and rewind your conversations with other people quietly in your mind. “Ask yourself, ‘How many times did I hear myself complain today?’ Make a mental note. Then commit to a short-term goal of integrating another practice when you communicate with others,” Tarry advises. “For example, tell yourself that the next time someone asks you about something you would normally complain about, pause and then find an alternative thought to say—and let it not be a complaint.”