Why and When Should You Practice Gratitude?

Saying 'thank you' and being grateful is something that seems so commonplace, so simple. In childhood, we were all taught to say 'thank you' when we received something. And probably because of this simplicity, it is hard to believe that being grateful and saying thank you aloud or mentally for all good things in life, however tiny and insignificant they seem, can be the origin of important changes and improvements in life and business.

Our brain is mainly wired for negativity. Most people tend to notice more of the negative aspects of their lives, those aspects they are not satisfied with. They usually talk a lot about them, most often in the form of complaining.

If you have a business, how many times have you complained in the last month about the economic environment, banks, legislation, your prospects and clients, etc.? Has complaining helped you change the situation, solve the problem or overcome a challenge? Most likely, it hasn't. Even worse, it drained your energy and distracted your focus from finding a solution. Focusing on the negative aspects creates more negative thoughts and feelings, easily leading to a negative spiral of thoughts and emotions.

Gratitude is exactly the opposite feeling. It means you are satisfied with many aspects of your life and say thank you to those who contributed to them, known and unknown people and the Universe (or Universal Intelligence, your higher self, the Divine, God, the Source, or whatever other name you call it according to your belief or faith system). Gratitude also means that you look for and discover positive aspects in things that are not at the level you would want and expect them to be, and you would like to improve them.

Gratitude is one of the most powerful positive human feelings. It can change your general attitude towards life or any aspect of it. It helps you experience less stress and more joy and happiness. Practicing gratitude regularly enhances your well-being, improves your relationships, helps you focus on your goals and solutions to your problems, and can bring abundance into your life. Positive psychology research has found neurological reasons for benefiting from practising gratitude and expressing thanks for our experiences, possessions, relationships, achievements and personal growth.

Gratitude can bring several benefits into your life on various levels and in all its areas.

1. On a physical level, gratitude has multiple beneficial influences on your body and health:

• It strengthens the immune system. People who practise gratitude experience less stress and cope better with stressful situations.
• Improves sleep. For better effect, practise gratitude every evening before you go to sleep.
• As a result of the previous benefits, grateful people have more energy.

2. In the field of relationships and social life, grateful people:

• are more generous and helpful;
• have better human relations in general as they can find the good in every person they come in contact with instead of looking for aspects to criticise;
• have better quality close relationships with family members, friends and at the workplace;
• are less lonely or isolated.

3. On a psychological level, those who practice gratitude:

• experience higher levels of positive emotions, are more satisfied with life and are happier;
• are more optimistic about their future;
• are stronger when they face challenges and more resilient;
• have more enthusiasm, determination and focus;
• are less prone to suffering from depression or addictions.

4. At the level of results and achievements, grateful people

• have a more positive mindset and attitude;
• are more confident because they acknowledge and celebrate their results and progress made towards their goals;
• instead of focusing on what is not working, they tend to focus on what is working and what can be done about something that isn't working;
• are more resilient and do not abandon easily and, as a result, have more chances of success in their endeavours;
• experience more joy while working towards their goals;
• find help, cooperation, and support to implement their plans because they emanate positive energy and appreciate the support they get;
• feel more satisfied with their results.

"Gratitude will lead your mind out along the ways by which things come; And it will keep you in close harmony with creative thought and prevent you from falling into competitive thought."
Wallace D. Wattles: "The Science of Getting Rich"

Being grateful doesn't mean that everything is perfect in your life or that you are fully satisfied with all aspects of life. It means that you appreciate what works in your life, what is good and gives you joy and happiness, and you are grateful for all those things and experiences. It also means that you are thankful for the challenges and setbacks that made you stronger, helped you learn and grow, and become who you are today.

Gratitude doesn't mean practising toxic positivity, pretending that all is well in your life and you do not need to address any problems or change anything. Gratitude helps you enjoy what you already have and what is good in life while improving yourself and certain areas of your life that are not what you desire or expect them to be. You can still enjoy the positive aspects of life and be grateful for them while handling a challenge and working toward a desired outcome.

To benefit from its positive effects, gratitude should be practised regularly. When you start practising gratitude, you must consciously focus on what is good and joyful in your life and set up a routine and triggers for being thankful until it becomes a habit. Gratitude should be practised not only when life is great and you are happy and satisfied but also in hard times. I believe a gratitude practice is even more important when you encounter hardship and challenges than in normal times. The gratitude practice helps you realise there are still good things in life, something to enjoy and feel satisfied with. As a result, you'll have a more positive outlook on life, less stress and more energy. These will lead to finding better solutions and being more resilient and motivated to learn and make the necessary changes.

How can you implement a gratitude practice? The simple suggestion would be to start noticing good things in your life and be grateful for them. Unfortunately, if you have had a negative outlook on life for a long time, the implementation is not as simple as this. You will need a strategy, a few tools and techniques, and discipline to implement your strategy and use the chosen tools and techniques daily until noticing good things and being grateful for them becomes a habit.

Would a gratitude practice help you experience less stress, feel more satisfied and joyful and have more energy and motivation to work towards your goals and grow your business?

Download the "21 Tips to Practice Gratitude" document and start being thankful today for what you have, what you learn, and what you want to achieve in the future, just as it has already happened.