5 Tips to Help Practice Gratitude (and Make it a Habit in 2017)

“Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, [and] confusion into clarity . . . . It turns problems into gifts, failures into success, the unexpected into perfect timing, and mistakes into important events. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today and creates a vision for tomorrow.” Melodie Beattie

As 2016 draws to a close it is timely to reflect on the year passed, lessons learned and what we’re grateful for.

Studies have shown practicing gratitude as a regular habit can have profound benefits including improving physical and psychological health, enhancing empathy, reducing aggression and helping us form new relationships.

Brain scanning is now confirming this showing the self-perpetuating benefits of gratitude practice. Once we practice gratitude we’re more wired to be attuned to it and hence receive ongoing benefits, similar to mindfulness practice.

Here are some ways to help you practice gratitude for 2016:

Build thanks into Christmas Cards – Include in your Christmas card messages what and why you’re grateful for that person
Write a reflective letter – To yourself on what you’ve been grateful for in 2016 including lessons you have learned – learning from any mistakes helps us embrace a ‘Growth Mindset’ which we have written about previously
Reflect in a team meeting – In your final team meeting for the year ask everyone to reflect on what they’ve been grateful for this year

To help make gratitude a regular habit in 2017:

Start a gratitude journal – Reflect a few times a week on what you’re grateful for and why – which deepens the benefits of practicing gratitude
Establish a gratitude ritual that works for you – Whether it be a reflective moment everyday when you wake up, a moment of thanks at dinner or when you’re kissing any children you may have goodnight.

If you already have a regular gratitude practice, we challenge, how can you pay this forward and share your experience with someone you care for to help them receive the associated benefits?

Here at CFCD, we’re grateful for the collective wisdom of our wonderful community and living our purpose of helping to transform organisational cultures. Wishing you all a very merry Christmas with your loved ones and a happy and healthy 2017.

A collection of our previous blogs which you may also enjoy:

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