Give Thanks and Feel Better: 7 Gratitude Practices

The experience of ‘Thank You’ can make everything ok again when things get tough and even better when things are great.

In this blog post I share the blessings of both spontaneous and intentional thankfulness along with my favorite Gratitude Practices.

Much like others, I’ve maintained a daily practice of journaling about gratitude for many years, and I’ve personally experienced the delightful benefits of dedicating time to this each day.

Life can be so challenging at times. ‘Thank you’ can:

🙏 help us move through challenges with grace

🙏 boast our creative flow and self esteem

🙏 improve our emotional and mental well-being

🙏 strengthen our relationships

🙏 and enhance our overall life satisfaction

I’ve noticed that when I actively cultivate gratitude or spontaneously experience it, any sense of lack, feeling lost, or inadequacy fades away, replaced by a sense of connection, contentment, and joy that lingers throughout the rest of my day.

Cultivating gratitude is a habit I deeply value and want to continue exploring and practicing—and one I highly recommend. That’s why I’ve taken the time today to share my personal favorite ‘Gratitude Practices’ with you. Feel free to use any or all of them if you wish!

Making Gratitude A Way Of Life

Here are a few simple suggestions for cultivating the energy of thankfulness. With Thanksgiving around the corner here in the US, giving thanks at mealtimes and for food naturally comes to mind—so let’s start there.

Gratitude for food

Getting into the habit of pausing to reflect on the journey of the food—from its starting point to your plate—and expressing gratitude for both the food and all the hands that made this meal possible before you eat can nourish you on a whole new level, while also deepening your sense of gratefulness in the moment.

Gratitude around meal times

At mealtimes, whether eating alone or with friends and family, take a moment to connect with something you’re grateful for and share it out loud. Allow others to share, too, if they’d like. This can create space for a deeper connection with both life itself and those around you.

Present moment gratitude

Set an alarm to go off every hour and take a moment to find something you’re grateful for in the present moment—maybe the seat you’re sitting on, the clothes you’re wearing, or the pen in your hand. Allow the feeling of gratitude to fill you.

Appreciation walks

Go on a walk with the intention of seeking out things you’re grateful for. Often, while walking, we tend to be in our heads, focusing on the past, the future, or our ideas and projects. This practice helps ground us back into our bodies and our present moment experience.

Thankful mornings

Upon awakening, place your hand on your heart and inwardly say, ‘Thank you for this new day, thank you for this body.’

You could also make journaling about gratitude a part of your morning routine. If you’d like, you can download my FREE Journaling Practice for Holistic Nourishment, which is part of my Empower Your Path bundle. It’s a daily journaling exercise designed to nourish body, mind, and soul, with a reflection on gratitude and much more. You can learn more about it here.

Thank You Meditation

Set a timer for 5 minutes. Close your eyes. As you breathe in, inwardly say ‘thank you’; as you breathe out, say ‘thank you’ again. Repeat until the alarm goes off. Anytime your mind drifts, gently bring it back to ‘thank you’ and your breath.

Alternatively, you could simply meditate on things you’re grateful for, bringing them to mind as you breathe in and out.

Gratitude notes

Express thanks to others by sending little notes or texts to let them know you appreciate them.

You could also collect gratitude notes in a basket, jar, box, envelope, or even on a document on your computer. At the end of the year, month, or week, read and reflect on these lovely moments.

So there you have it—my simple but highly effective ‘Gratitude Practices.’

Perhaps, like me, you’ve practiced most or all of the above suggestions at certain times. My personal desire is to embody them more deeply by integrating them more fully into my daily life, making gratitude a way of life. You’re welcome to join me!

Is there a practice that stands out to you that you’d like to try or do more often?

Do you have any others that I haven’t mentioned and can share with me?

Thank you for reading my blog!

I wish you many moments filled with thankfulness.