The act of being grateful stimulates “feel good” brain chemicals that enhance our well-being, mood, and motivation. That probably happens with every single moment of gratitude; however, somewhat like breathing, gratitude is most effective when done frequently. Certified brain coach Linda Rosnak Burton says:
The more we activate these “gratitude” circuits, the stronger these neural pathways become and the more likely we are to recognize what’s going right instead of always looking at the problem.
Practicing gratitude on a frequent and regular basis becomes a habit as you recognize the benefits of the practice and become a grateful person. James Clear, author of best-selling Atomic Habits, talks about habits as the mechanism that helps you become the person you want to be, living the life you want to live.
These habits become “identity-habits,” rather than just something you think you should be doing or just another chore.
Gratitude Tip: Speak your gratitudes out-loud, even if you’re writing them in a journal.
Author Ursula Le Guin says:
"Utterance is magic.
Words are events, they do things, change things.
They transform both speaker and hearer;
they feed energy back and forth and amplify it.
The living tongue that tells the word,
the living ear that hears it,
bind and bond us in the communion we long for.”
What builds your energy and makes you feel more alive?
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In good times and challenging ones, practicing gratitude helps us recognize the good things in our lives and build resilience for the challenges that come our way. Gratitude journaling is one of the best ways to better understand yourself and deepen your practice of gratitude.
Any journal will do … however, we have a bias toward Gratitude Mojo, which comes to you free with your annual paid subscription … including one copy for a friend because having a Gratitude Buddy makes the journey better.
We want to help everyone develop a deeper practice of gratitude, therefore, all posts are always free. … And, we always appreciate paid subscriptions as they help support this work.
I gain some energy and aliveness when I email someone a thank you card. And, for a small fee, its easy and powerful on http://www.jacquielawson.com/
Such a wonderful idea to practice gratitude, intentionally, rather than randomly. Science supports the positive impact it can have on our lives.