5 simple gratitude practices

How to learn to see the positives in any situation that usually makes you nervous? Practicing gratitude will help with this – simple and do not require a lot of free time from you.

Practicing gratitude is not at all about driving negative emotions as deep as possible and pretending that you do not experience them. They just help you take a fresh look at everything that happens in your life and become calmer and more balanced. And they give us new energy resources – take at least a gratitude diary that helps us feel happier. BUT there are other types of practices that you might enjoy just as much. 

Direct gratitude

Why complicate things when you can start with an intuitive and simple practice? Try as often as possible to thank people directly during communication with them. Don't do it out of politeness – thank them for specific actions, subconsciously wishing them happiness. A banal “thank you" can not only endear you to people, but also make you happier. 

How it works? As with any other manifestation of self-love. Showing concern for someone or expressing gratitude, we become kinder and improve our mental health.  

Gratitude as a way to deal with stress

Every stressful situation, whether it's a breakup with a boyfriend or a fight with a girlfriend, teaches us something. The next time you feel stress coming on, take a break and spend some time alone. Spend it on breathing practices and thinking about what lesson can be learned from what happened. Try to see the positive aspects in it – so you can reduce the damage to your health. And, if circumstances permit, tell them "thank you" for being a little wiser. 

Mindfulness Practice 

Mindfulness as a total moment-to-moment presence in everything that happens to us and around us can also work as a practice of gratitude. When you know how to enjoy the moment, then you do not need to look for a reason to thank the Universe and yourself for every day you live and any event in your life. Practicing mindfulness teaches us to be grateful even for the little things like hugging a loved one or watching a beautiful sunset.

Letter of recognition 

Write a message, email or letter to someone you are grateful for. You don't have to send it if you don't want to. For this gratitude practice, it's enough that you think about what you would like to thank a friend, relative (or even a celebrity that inspires you) for and write down your thoughts. This develops a sense of empathy and teaches us to find the right words to describe our emotions.

Evening or morning gratitude ritual 

It can become as useful a habit as a face mask or a relaxing self-massage. It's simple: start or end your day with memories of what has happened to you pleasantly over the past 24 hours. It’s not necessary to say it out loud: mental gratitude also makes us happier!