Practicing Gratitude

I have practiced yoga for many decades. Some sessions have been joyful and fluid, while others have been challenging. Yoga philosophy states that the most important thing is to show up on your mat on a regular basis. The focus isn’t on perfection in your practice. It is measured by showing up, being open to the journey, and engaging in the ongoing practice.

I’ve had several conversations recently with one of my brothers and a niece, who have been listing daily all they’re grateful for. It occurred to me that when it comes to gratitude, they’ve been “showing up on the mat.” I am also practicing gratitude in much the same way, although, just as in yoga, some days are harder than others. The idea is to keep practicing.

I recently heard about a book by Jean Shinoda Bolen (2024) Crones Don’t Whine: Concentrated Wisdom for Mature Women (Inspiration for Older Women, Aging Gracefully, Divine Feminine, Gift for Women).  I love the title because it invites us to focus on how we want to show up in the world. It reminds us not to base our daily attitude on our fears or grievances.  Instead, we should focus on activities and mindsets that increase our potential and value as we age, like practicing gratitude.

A Template to Practice Gratitude Daily

There are so many benefits to a daily practice of gratitude. Meditation, writing, and other activities focused on gratitude release serotonin and dopamine, chemicals in our brains associated with happiness and pleasure. Practicing gratitude reduces stress and anxiety, improving mood and energy.  Research has shown that gratitude journaling can even reduce inflammation in our bodies! Given the growing complexity and dynamic nature of our lives, we need all of these benefits right now!

If you’re interested in beginning or strengthening your gratitude practice, here is a template that has been helpful for me as a type of gratitude “starter kit.”  Sometimes, gratitude is easier to find in some places. Hopefully, these starting lines will help you remember many things you can be grateful for:

• I am grateful for these relationships in my life.
  • Within my gratitude practice, for example, I am grateful for my clients in my consulting and coaching work. They inspire me, love to learn and gain insights and apply creative solutions to their problems.
• I am grateful for the nature that surrounds me every day.
  • I live on the Mississippi River, and the water is still flowing freely with our warm weather this fall. The natural world helps me center myself in the natural world and reminds me of the rhythms embedded in each season. This includes my 150-year-old oak trees, which have now dropped all their leaves and are inviting me to prepare for winter’s hibernation.
• I am grateful for my health and the ability to exercise.
• I am grateful for cultivating ever-deepening wisdom as I integrate my life, career, spirit, and heart into profound observations and life lessons.
• I am grateful for my meditation practice, which centers me in the present daily.
• I am grateful for my writing practice, which helps me articulate my thoughts and clarify what is important.

There’s Always More to be Grateful For

These are just a sampling of areas for which we can be grateful. You can also reflect on topics like family (which led to this blog!), ancestors, friends, great conversations, lessons learned, or a comfortable lifestyle (if you have one). This will help trigger reflection. If this seems overwhelming, start with a list of areas within your life and focus on them one at a time. See what rises to the top in each area.

As we head into a busy holiday season and the end of a momentous year, I invite you to start your own gratitude practice. See what happens after a month!