Four Methods For Developing A Habit Of Gratitude

Gratitude is one of the cardinal virtues across all religions and philosophies, and for good reason. People who experience and express gratitude have lower levels of negative emotions like depression, anxiety, stress, fewer health problems, better relationships, and a sense of purpose in their lives. They also tend to have more confidence, better problem solving skills and exhibit healthier coping mechanisms. Let's go over 4 methods to make gratitude a habit.

1. Use Negative Visualization.

Life can be frustrating and it's easy to get bogged down by all the adversity and challenges you face in your day to day life. Human are problem solving creatures and our minds focus on things that don't work in our life and the things we want to improve or fix. This means we are more likely to notice things that go wrong than the things that are going right. If something's working, you don't notice it you only notice it when something breaks. For example, if your car is working well, you don't even think about it, but if the engine starts making weird noises. You start to worry about the potential causes of the problem. The same thing applies to everything else in your life. There are a lot of things we tend to take for granted just because we're used to them. So how does this relate to gratitude ? In order to show gratitude for the things you already have, you can try something called negative visualization. Try to imagine losing something or someone in your life, and imagine how that would make you feel. We often don't appreciate something until we lose it. If you've ever gone through a painful breakup or lost a job, you know how devastating it can be. So look around you and try to appreciate certain aspects or people in your life that you may have been taking for granted. Chances are you realize you have many things to be grateful for, even if they annoy you from time to time.

2. Develop An Abundance Mindset.

In order to shift the focus from the things you lack, you want to develop an abundance mindset. Most people have a scarcity mindset. A scarcity mindset is marked by the belief that resources, opportunities, and successes are limited and difficult to come by. Those with a scarcity mindset often worry about not having enough, which can lead to feelings of fear and anxiety. They might also view the success of others as a threat to their own chances. People with an abundance mindset, on the other hand, believe that there are plentiful opportunities, resources, and possibilities available in the world. Those with an abundance mindset tend to focus on the potential for growth, success, and positive outcomes. People with a scarcity mindset believe the world to be a zero sum game meaning you can only win if someone else loses. People With an abundance mindset believe that sharing and cooperation can make everyone better off. For example, when you walk in a supermarket, you may complain how everything is too expensive. Alternatively, you can appreciate how you can pick and choose any food you want, the items that are on sale, the fact that you can eat off season fruits and vegetables and so on. Some things may be relatively expensive, but they're also plentiful and readily available. It's all about the perspective you decide to take.

3. Recite Positive Affirmations.

One of the most effective ways to make gratitude a habit is to make it the very first thing you do in the morning. There's no bad time to practice gratitude, but if you do it as soon as you wake up, you're setting the right tone for the rest of the day. Most people wake up with negative thoughts like I hate Mondays or I'm so tired. However, if you consciously change your thoughts, you'll automatically change your mood as well. Take some time to imagine a perfect day you would like to have. What thoughts would pop up in your head when you wake up ? It would probably be something like i am so excited about today or I can't wait to do XY or Z. Whatever it is, try to make it your mantra when you wake up in the morning. Let it be the first thought that comes to your mind and get excited to start the day. A mantra should be something simple, something that speaks to you and something that motivates you. Don't worry about it being lame or cheesy. It's only for you to hear if it works for you. That's all that matters. For example, your mantra can be something like this. Today I get to spend another day doing meaningful work and after that i could just spend time with people i care about doing the things I love. Your thoughts become your reality, so choose them carefully. 

4. No Complaining Challenge.

If you aren't really sold on the idea of gratitude yet, but are open to the idea of becoming a more positive and uplifting person, you can try the No Complaining Challenge instead. Expressing gratitude, especially to other people, may feel awkward at first. If you aren't comfortable with actively expressing gratitude yet try not to complain about anything for a week, that's it. That's the whole challenge. It sounds simple, but it's incredibly difficult in practice. If you're anything like most people, you'll fail the challenge miserably. Probably on the very first day ? That's OK. The goal of the challenge isn't to transform you into a Zen master over a week. Rather, it's about raising your own awareness about how much we complain about things in our day-to-day life. Complaining may make you feel better at the moment, but it does very little in actually solving what's bothering you. A Stoic philosopher, Seneca famously said, How does it help to make troubles heavier ? By bemoaning them. Gratitude is a profound force that can enrich your life. It costs you nothing, but gives you everything in return in order to make gratitude practice effective. It has to be authentic, so make sure to express it only if you're genuinely grateful.