How to Start a Gratitude Practice

Ilana Friedman, Advanced Clinical Fellow

I went to a presentation once on the psychology of happiness and the presenter said something along the lines of, “The only scientifically proven way to shift your mood is with gratitude.” Is this actually a scientific fact? I know not, but it has stuck with me a decade later. Clearly, there is something to this thing called “Gratitude”.

As humans, we tend to pay more attention to the negative than the positive, which is called negativity bias. “...across an array of psychological situations and tasks, adults display a negativity bias, or the propensity to attend to, learn from, and use negative information far more than positive information” (2008, p. 383). This likely served an evolutionary purpose, keeping us vigilant and safe from danger, however it may be making us, and keeping us, unhappy now. Imagine you are getting graded on a paper, receiving a review as an actor, or getting a performance review at work. You can hear 10 positive comments, but your brain will get stuck on that one negative, right? That is negativity bias at work.

Gratitude is a powerful tool to shift our lens and help us focus on what’s working instead of what isn’t. It can hugely impact our relationships, our internal dialogue, and our overall mood. So, how do you actually practice gratitude?

How to Start a Gratitude Practice: 3 Options

Option A: Keep it Simple! Start a note on your phone and write down 1-3 things you are grateful for each day. It can be something as simple as your morning coffee or as meaningful as the way your partner supported you through a tough moment.

Option B: Use an App. There are some amazing apps out there that help you stay grateful! My personal favorite is the 5 Minute Journal App from Intelligent Change. In the morning you write 3 things you are grateful for, 1 thing you will do to make today great, and 1 affirmation. In the evening you write the highlights of the day and how you could have made today even better. The app is aesthetically pleasing, full of great wisdom and insight, and truly only takes 5 minutes!

Option C: Old School. For those of you who like to put pen to paper, start a gratitude journal. Buy yourself a journal that sparks joy, a pen that makes you want to write, and jot down 1-3 things daily that you are grateful for.

This super simple practice can have far-reaching and long-lasting benefits. Try it out and let me know in the comments what shifts you are noticing!

References
Vaish, A., Grossmann, T., Woodward, A. (2008). Not all emotions are created equal: The negativity bias in social-emotional development. Psychological Bulletin, 134(3), 383–403. https://doi.org/10.1037/0033-2909.134.3.383

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