Nourish Your Soul With Gratitude

"Gratitude is one of the strongest and most transformative states of being. It shifts your perspective from lack to abundance and allows you to focus on the good in your life, which in turn pulls more goodness into your reality." —Jen Sincero

Gratitude can be described as the acknowledgement of the good things in your life. In our fast-paced society, it’s easy to get caught up in your next big event or goal. Practicing gratitude allows us to slow down and appreciate what we have in the present moment.

Gratitude can ground us in our emotions and combat negative thoughts. With a typical person averaging 60,000 thoughts per day, the majority of which are negative, gratitude can train the mind to look at the positives in every situation. Whether it is being thankful for people, experiences or resources, practicing gratitude can be beneficial for many reasons.

Practicing gratitude daily can improve your mood and self-confidence while decreasing your risk of developing anxiety and depression. Gratitude also gives us a greater ability to forgive ourselves and others. Along with these mental health benefits, gratitude can improve our physical health.

According to the Mayo Clinic, being grateful can improve a person’s immunity and sleep quality. Additionally, it can decrease chronic pain and the risk of developing diabetes and some cancers.

Adding gratitude to your daily routine may seem difficult, but here are some easy ways to incorporate it:

• Gratitude journaling: Jot down a few things you’re grateful for in the morning to set the tone for the day or at night to appreciate the good things that happened that day
• Incorporate gratitude into something you already do, like brushing your teeth or making your bed
• Appreciate the little things as you go about your day
• Go for a mindful walk and notice the beauty of nature
• Reward the efforts of others at work, and let them know they are doing a good job
• Repeat gratitude affirmations, such as:
  • I appreciate all the wonderful things this day brought forth
  • I am grateful for who I am
  • I invite gratitude into my heart
• Write a gratitude letter to someone you appreciate
• Start a gratitude jar: write down anything you are feeling grateful for, and add it to a jar to open after a certain period (e.g., at the end of the month or year)

If you’re not sure where to start, download this printable with a list of gratitude prompts to begin your journey!

About the author

Megan DiPietro

Ms. Megan DiPietro is a part-time team member on the Slainte Fitness team at USLI. She recently graduated from West Chester University with a degree in Psychology. At WCU, Ms. DiPietro was involved in a health and wellness club called CHAARG which developed her passion for fitness. She got into weight lifting in 2020 which has grown her love for wellness even more.