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Unlocking the Power of Gratitude: How to Cultivate a Positive Mindset Through Gratitude Practices...

It's no secret that we believe in the power of gratitude practices over here at observance journals, but what are they, why are they so beneficial and how can we get the most out of them?



What exactly is gratitude?

Gratitude is the quality of being thankful or readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.

But let's go a little deeper. There are three 'types' of gratitude:

  • Disposition: the natural tendency towards gratitude

  • Mood: daily fluctuations in overall gratitude

  • Emotion: temporary feeling caused by a specific event

Everyone has baseline differences in these areas due to genetic and environmental factors. However, we can develop gratitude across all 3 areas with intentional practice.


Why does it matter?

Research is finding that gratitude practices can support health and wellbeing in a number of ways. These include:

  • Increasing frequency and length of positive emotions

  • Supporting you to cherish experiences

  • Coping better with adversity

  • Improving overall physical health e.g. sleep, heart health, reducing over-eating

  • Strengthening relationships

  • Reducing stress, anxiety and depression

  • Builds professional commitment at work

  • Increased empathy and interpersonal skills


Gratitude Practices:

There are a range of gratitude practices that you can adopt into your day-to-day to support you to cultivate gratitude in your life.

Across all of them these three steps are crucial:

  1. Look for good things and notice them

  2. Savour, absorb and really pay attention to them

  3. Express your gratitude

The different ways you can do this include:

  • Gratitude Journalling (and obviously our gratitude journal...)

  • Gratitude Lists

  • Gratitude meditations

  • Visualisations

  • Writing letters to others

  • Gratitude stones e.g. decorating and keeping in pocket

  • Affirmations

  • Jars of Gratefulness

  • Writing gratitude stories e.g. a time someone expressed gratitude towards you

  • Imagine a different life

  • Give something up you care about for a period of time e.g. lent


Additional resources to support you:


Crystals:

  • Citrine: positivity and promoting happiness

  • Quartz: clarity of mind (clear) and open heart (rose)

  • Hiddenite: finding gratitude in hard times

  • Amethyst: calm the mind to be open to gratitude

  • Tiger's eye: support internal gratitude and self-love

Essential Oils:

  • Happiness: Citrus like sweet orange, lemon or grapefruit

  • Calm to make space: lavender, ylang ylang or vanilla

  • Mood Lift: ginger, clove or frankincense


Yoga Poses:

Heart opening poses and backbends can be great for connecting with the heart space and coming into the present moment to experience gratitude more fully. These are best used before you sit down to journal or connect with any other gratitude practice. For example:

  • Breathing with hands on chest or palms facing up

  • Cat/ Cow

  • Sphinx

  • Cobra

  • Up-dog

  • Puppy-dog

  • Camel

  • Wheel


See our socials for videos supporting and demonstrating the use of these! Or seek professional support if new to the practices.


Integrating

It is then important to ensure the practice has meaning and connects with your every day life. When you do this you will gradually notice shifts in your positivity, appreciation and mindset- this is where the magic is! To support this:

  • Regular practice and having opportunities to continually revisit your progress

  • Share with others and hold yourself accountable

  • Work with glimmers e.g. trying to notice small moments in your day-to-day so that you notice your practice moving into your everyday life

Quiz

We recommend that you take this short quiz to gain a baseline measure of gratitude so that you develop an understanding of how to support yourself further...




Check back in for our next blog post on what to do when you experience challenges with your gratitude practices...


Hope this was helpful

Chloe x


References:



 
 
 
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