How Gratitude Can Change Your Day - and Your Life

Robert Brault said,

“Enjoy the little things. For one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

It seems like most of us could use this reminder. In a world where attention spans are getting shorter all the time and there always seems to be something else to worry about, sometimes we forget to take a moment and actually appreciate what we have — big and small.

When I started actively practicing gratitude, I realized there didn’t need to be a huge change in lifestyle. I had no interest in becoming a regular yogi or meditating for hours every day (though I’ve heard there are serious benefits of both).

What I really needed — and what most of us probably need — was to slow down, de-stress, and remember what’s really important and what I need to be doing.

I’ll be the first to admit that in the past several months, it’s been increasingly difficult to stay positive and keep stress in check. But the good news is that gratitude can make a huge difference in the way you feel, and how you approach your day.

And changing the way you think and what you focus on can start to change your whole life. Here’s how it works.

Gratitude Improves Your Health

Gratitude can increase your overall psychological well-being. It’s been linked to higher self-esteem, improved relationships, lower levels of stress and depression, and greater overall life satisfaction.

It’s also been shown to improve sleep quality, reduce aggression, and enhance feelings of empathy.

“When we express gratitude and receive the same, our brain releases dopamine and serotonin, the two crucial neurotransmitters responsible for our emotions, and they make us feel ‘good’. They enhance our mood immediately, making us feel happy from the inside.”

— Madhuleena Roy Chowdhury, BA

It can also can help put you in a naturally positive mindset. Practicing gratitude regularly has been shown to increase levels of optimism.

This has definitely been true in my case, both in the moment and over time. By starting with gratitude for what I have rather than focusing on what I don’t have, it automatically helps set myself up for success.

A glass-half-full attitude makes me feel more positive, empowered, and prepared for the world. And it can help cultivate a mentality of possibility, rather than dread.

And, over time I found that the more often I focused on gratitude, the more I discovered things to be thankful for.

Gratitude Puts Life Into Perspective

I once saw a poignant cartoon about perspective.

In it, there was a man driving a beat-up car, dreaming about having a nicer car. Then there was a man on a bike looking at the man driving, wishing he had a car at all. Then there was a man walking, looking at the man on the bike, wishing he had a bike. Then there was a man in a wheelchair, looking at the man on foot, wishing he could walk, too.

It was a powerful image.

Putting your life into perspective is beneficial because it forces you — even for a moment — to stop feeling sorry for yourself and start caring more about other people.

“It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.”

— Germany Kent

You don’t need to feel guilty about being negative, because we all have bad days and nobody’s perfect. But in those moments, focusing your attention on a few things you’re thankful for can help you start to feel just a little bit better about life.

And in my case, it gives me hope.

Even on my darkest days, it’s a much-needed reminder that all is not lost, and that I still have people who love me and things to believe in. And that shift in perspective ultimately allows me to be more open to helping others, and doing what needs to be done.

How to Incorporate Gratitude Into Your Life

A minor change, even five minutes a day, can still have an impressive impact on the way you feel.

Being mindful and actively practicing gratitude doesn’t have to come with a big shift in lifestyle. In fact, it doesn’t have to change much at all really, unless you want it to.

All you have to do is start by taking a few minutes out of your day to bring your attention to feeling grateful. Get specific about what you’re actually thankful for.

It can be as simple as:

• Writing down a physical list of what you’re grateful for. This could be as specific and detailed as you want, or you could keep it to three to five things each time.

• Using an app (especially helpful if you’re on your phone a lot) that reminds you each day or week to focus on gratitude for a few moments each day. Personally, I use an app that gives me an afternoon reminder to take a few deeps breaths and write down three things I’m grateful for in that moment.

• Meditating. There are a lot of benefits of meditation, but if you have trouble sitting still for long periods of time like I do, it can be difficult to get into it. But even just a few minutes of sitting and closing your eyes, and thinking of things and people in your life for which you’re grateful can make a difference.

• Thanking the people in your life. Send a thank-you note, send a text, phone a friend, or set up a lunch date with someone you truly appreciate, and tell them you’re glad they’re in your life. Actually expressing your gratitude with make you — and them — feel better.

• Taking a “savoring walk”. This simply means you take a walk with the intent to be mindful of what’s around you, and think about what you’re grateful for. The sun, autumn leaves, fresh air, your dog, the fact that you have healthy legs to walk at all — it’s about paying attention to the details.

There’s no rule that says how exactly you should incorporate gratitude into your life; it’s up to you to figure out what works best. It could simply be taking a few moments to think to yourself and be mindful of the world around you.

“Gratitude drives happiness. Happiness boosts productivity. Productivity reveals mastery. And mastery inspires the world.”

— Robin Sharma

Again, you don’t have to change your whole lifestyle or routine in order to reap the benefits of gratitude. Start by taking five minutes a day to journal, meditate, or walk. Set a reminder or install an app on your phone to help you remember.

Your future self will thank you.

Incorporating gratitude into my day was fairly simple, and it’s changed my life. By being more thankful, open, and optimistic, I’ve allowed more opportunities into my life and learned so much about others and the world around me. Over time I’ve been happier, healthier, more resilient, and more open to possibility.

And the best part is that it’s easy for anyone to do.

Nobody’s perfect, and no one is going to be in a great mood every hour of every day. But focusing on gratitude can change how you look at and feel about your life.

And that, in turn, can change the outcome.