Mindfulness Moment: Gratitude
- April Jenkins Cremeans
- Nov 6, 2023
- 2 min read
Ah, it's November when in many parts of the country the air has turned colder, crisper, and our minds turn to thoughts of giving thanks as well as SO much food. The practice of gratitude doesn't have to be confined to one month of the year, but November does give us a perfect opportunity to highlight the act of gratitude and start being mindful of the act.
Studies have shown that mindfully practicing gratitude can act as a protective factor for mental health and increased levels of wellbeing. (Vieselmeyer, Holguin, & Mezulis, 2017, Lies, Mellor, & Hong, 2014, Chen, 2017). Incorporating gratitude practice doesn't have to involve formal meditation but it should be something that you set aside time to focus on a few times a week. All you really need to do is take a few moments to reflect on the things, people, and experiences that you are grateful for.
Some examples of focusing on gratitude may include:
Starting a gratitude journal where you take note of the things for which you give thanks.
Writing letters to the people for whom you are grateful.
Take a few moments while enjoying your morning coffee or tea to reflect on the things which brought you joy the day or week before
Something that we often forget to be thankful for are the things that challenge us or for those which typically go unnoticed. Open your concept of gratefulness to include:
Neutral people in your life. Those who do not have a personal or professional relationship with you. (I am thankful for the young lady who bagged my groceries this weekend)
Difficult people (I am grateful for the customer/client who was angry and upset last week as they gave me the opportunity to learn more processes to de-escalate and conflict resolve)
Or even those who you would consider adversaries, (I am grateful for Jane Doe although we do not agree completely, she allows me greater insight into my own reactions to demanding situations and allows me to better temper my own reactions appropriately).
At the core level gratitude practice is about acknowledging not only the blessings in your life but the struggles which make you who you are. As you have your morning mug of your preferred beverage this morning be present in the moment to feel the warmth under your hands and be grateful for the things who make you who you are. If you feel comfortable sharing, please share what you are grateful for this morning. For myself - I am grateful for my amazing team and leaders who each day give me challenges and opportunities to strengthen my own skills as a leader. I am grateful that research into gratefulness led me to this great site this weekend which helped spark this post.
For more information on the benefits of gratitude practice please visit.
I am grateful for all of you who support this blog and the YouTube Channel
-A
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