So you want to practice gratitude but aren’t sure how? Perhaps you’ve tried writing in a gratitude journal. Do you feel like you are running out of ideas? Try these five ways to experience the power of gratitude in a new way!
Take A Gratitude Walk
There is something about taking a walk outside in nature that calms us and reduces stress. There are many physical, mental, and even spiritual benefits to walking out in nature. You already know that the exercise aspect is excellent for your body. Walking can be a form of meditation, too. Going outside to take a walk is a good time to pray and have fellowship with God. Turn on some worship music while you walk and see how it lifts your spirit!
You have probably taken a gratitude walk many times without realizing you were doing it. A gratitude walk is simply taking a walk with a calm and grateful state of mind. Focus on your breathing, your steps, and your surroundings. Focus on your gratitude and look for things to be thankful for while you take a walk. Chances are, you will find a lot of them!
Make A Gratitude Collage
This is a fun way to practice gratitude. If you have children, grandchildren, nieces or nephews, and other special kids in your life, they will love doing this “craft” as well. The idea behind a gratitude collage is that sometimes you just need a visual for a whole new perspective. The process is similar to that of a vision board. You can cut out pictures from a magazine or print images off your computer. Include your own personal photos, too! You can lay the pictures out on a decorative poster board and add words, quotes, stickers, meaningful trinkets, or anything else you want to use.
You can also make an electronic gratitude collage. Use Pinterest or a collage-maker app to gather and save images that inspire you to consider how blessed you are. Place your collage in a place where you will see it often. Add to it as you find other images that make you remember your blessings.
Host A Friendsgiving
Friendsgiving is like Thanksgiving. Only you invite your group of friends instead of your biological family. You don’t have to host a Friendsgiving around the holidays. Celebrate it any time of year! You don’t even have to call it Friendsgiving! The point is to gather all of your best friends and customize it to your wishes, any time of year. Make it a casual and fun setting that’s easy to set up and clean up so you will have more time to enjoy the company. You can play games that bring out a lot of laughter. You will feel so grateful being surrounded by the special people who are your support system.
To make your Friendsgiving even more focused on gratitude, have everyone take turns going around the table and stating what they are thankful for. Better yet, have each person tell what they appreciate in the person sitting next to them. Everyone at the table gets a word of affirmation to lift their spirit. Another sweet gesture is to write handwritten cards for each guest that tells what you appreciate about them.
Look For Gratitude In Your Challenges
Let’s face it. Life isn’t always a bed of roses. It can be challenging to practice gratitude when you are going through a period of depression, grief, or sadness. But these are the times that you need to practice gratitude the most. Don’t stay stuck in the negative and let it weigh you down for too long. It’s natural and even justifiable to feel that way sometimes. But you can break the cycle by continuously working to find gratitude in life’s challenges. Look for the lessons or the silver lining. Write them down in your gratitude journal so you can look back at how you found the good amid adversity.
Experience The Gratitude In Helping Others
Helping others in need is an impactful way to gain perspective and be grateful for all you have. Whether you help a neighbor in need or volunteer for a local charity or organization, there are many ways that you can give back to others. Try to do something to help others at least once a week, and you will undoubtedly feel a boost in your gratitude.
Brainstorm some ideas on how you can put action to your practicing gratitude. These are only five ways, and there are countless more. Which one will you try first?