Gratitude

I’m just getting back into the swing of things since arriving home from a trip overseas. Recalibrating my sleep pattern, getting my training sessions with Brett going again, and enjoying the bounty of healthy food from my CSA share. Today, I also had my weekly acupuncture. As my doctor adjusted the last needle, I took a deep breath and had an extreme sense of gratitude for being home. I also felt myself experiencing gratitude for all of the things in my life -- from the seemingly small and inconsequential (my morning cup of Island Coconut coffee) to the things in my life that give it meaning (the loving relationships with family and friends).

As I drove home from acupuncture, I started thinking about the role of gratitude in people’s lives and how often we actually take a moment to express it, either internally or externally. Many of my friends and colleagues have said that when they incorporate moments or exercises of gratitude in their lives, they experience increased emotional well-being, balance, and overall happiness. In a long-term study out of the University of California-Davis, researchers found that “grateful people report higher levels of positive emotions, life satisfaction, vitality, optimism and lower levels of depression and stress.” Interestingly, these same people did not ignore the difficult or negative issues that were part of their lives. This could suggest that grateful people are able to better balance both the positive and negative components of their life, such that challenges that arise don’t consume them.

So, how does one tap into gratitude, especially during times when it seems impossible to access due to anxiety, depression, job loss, etc.? Something that I have found particularly helpful is some form of a gratitude exercise. Just like you might exercise your heart or other muscles with Brett and Joli, why not start to stimulate your gratitude muscle? For example, I try to take a brief moment each day (some people start by taking a moment each week) to consciously think about all the people and things for which I am grateful. Then, I silently say “thank you.” I’ve known others who have enjoyed writing in a journal 5 things every day (or week) for which they are grateful. There are a variety of other exercises you could try, but I find that starting with something small (or when we lean into something) makes it less overwhelming and more successful.

I’ll leave you with a wonderful quote by the Dalai Lama:

“Everyday, think as you wake up, today I am fortunate to be alive, I have a precious human life, I am not going to waste it. I am going to use all my energies to develop myself, to expand my heart out to others; to achieve enlightenment for the benefit of all beings. I am going to have kind thoughts towards others, I am not going to get angry or think badly about others. I am going to benefit others as much as I can.”

So, in the spirit of gratitude, thank you for taking a moment to read this! Also, if there are any ways that you’ve incorporated gratitude in your life, I’d love to hear about them.

--Nicole