7 Ways to Practice Gratitude

The Thanksgiving season is here for all of my friends in the U.S. (we celebrated in Canada last month) – but no matter what part of the world you live in or what holidays you celebrate, it’s always a great time to practice gratitude! 

Beginning a gratitude practice to take you through the final months of the year is one of the absolute best ways to ensure you’ll have an amazing 2023. Even if your year has felt like a mixed bag, there is always something to be grateful for! 

Practicing gratitude doesn’t mean bypassing the hard stuff. It simply means telling the Universe that we see the good too. It’s about choosing the way we relate to our outer world and our physical reality. 

Practicing gratitude can not only help you attract more of the feelings and experiences you desire, it can actually change the chemistry of your brain! 

How to Practice Gratitude This Season

I think part of the beauty of a gratitude practice is its simplicity.

Gratitude is about being present, appreciative, and humble. It’s practicing an awareness of all of the things in our lives. It doesn’t require that things be perfect, it only requires tuning our hearts into the goodness that is already present in our lives. 

There are lots of ways to practice gratitude. You can choose more involved activities for gratitude, or you can choose very simple ways to fit your thankfulness into a busy time of year. 

 

Here are a few of my favorite ways to practice gratitude right now: 

1. Keep a Gratitude Journal 

This one might sound old school, but it’s popular for a reason! 

Writing something down helps our brains hold onto it. There’s a special kind of magic that comes from writing down the things you’re thankful for. Take it one step further and write down why you’re grateful for each thing.

2. Reframe The Tough Things 

If you’ve had a tough year, you’re dreading the holidays, or things just feel hard right now – it’s a PERFECT time to work on being grateful. 

Remember, there’s no need to ignore what’s hard. But are you able to get curious and discover any treasures or opportunities in the challenges? 

Challenges in a relationship might be giving you an opportunity for growth, long work days might mean expansion in your career, early mornings might mean more time with your sweet kids or pets. Try to find what feels genuinely good, even in the parts of your life that are stretching you. 

3. Feel It In Your Body 

It’s one thing to make a list of the things you’re thankful for, but it’s another thing to really feel that gratitude in your heart and body. 

To practice feeling gratitude in your body, try setting a timer for anywhere from 2-5 minutes. Close your eyes, place your hands over your heart if you’re able, and just focus on breathing and feeling your heartbeat. In your mind, just keep repeating “thank you” as you breathe and feel the gratitude in your heart.

No matter what gratitude practice you choose, remember to take a moment to truly feel in your heart how grateful you are. Let that good feeling permeate every part of you. 

4. Practice Gratitude In Advance

It’s just as important to be grateful for all of the good things that are on their way to you as the ones that are already here! 

Close your eyes and visualize the things you desire as if they have already happened. Let yourself feel all of the good feelings associated with those things now. You don’t have to wait for them to become true in the outer world to be grateful for them. 

When you hold this feeling of gratitude, it magically opens the floodgates of abundance.

5. Write Yourself a Love Letter 

ESPECIALLY if you’ve had a hard year, being grateful for yourself can be so very healing. 

Most of us spend way too much time with our inner critic. Let’s take the microphone away from that old friend for a while and list out all of the things you love about yourself. 

Looking at yourself with love can be hard. Get yourself primed for this transformative experience by listening to my “Love” meditation from my Remembering the Future Meditation album before writing. 

Now, write down all the things you like about yourself, from the way your nose crinkles when you laugh to the fact that you’ve never met a dog that didn’t immediately love you. Don’t be shy or modest. No one will see this but you! 

Own those special, quirky parts of yourself that make you, you! (If you struggle with self-love — which most of us do! — I suggest you do this at least once a month!)

6. Start And End Your Day With Gratitude

This is a great gratitude practice for those of us who are busy because it’s so simple. 

When you wake up in the morning, think of one thing you’re grateful for and feel it in your heart. When you lay down to go to sleep at night, do the same. 

To amplify the power of this gratitude practice, take a moment to write your reasons down each day in a special gratitude notebook or in your journal.

You’ll be amazed how much your outlook and energy can change if you do this for a few weeks. 

7. Share Your Gratitude With Others

How often do you take the time to thank others in your life? Everyone loves to be appreciated and it’s so easy to do! 

Set the intention to regularly send a handwritten note or thoughtful email to friends, family, and important people in your life. Let them know that you were just thinking of them and reflecting on how thankful you are to have them in your life and you wanted to let them know how much they’re appreciated. 

Regularly sharing that gratitude with others in your life will strengthen your relationships and inspire others to share their gratitude too!

Gratitude comes in many shapes and sizes

There’s no one right way to practice gratitude. The most important element of success is finding the one that fits into your lifestyle.

Any time you find yourself feeling down or just a little off, return to your gratitude practice. Making this a regular part of your daily routine can change your life and help you set the foundation for an amazing year ahead! 

22 Days of Gratitude

One of the things I’m consistently the most grateful for is my incredible community. And one of the ways I like to practice and express my gratitude is by giving back to all of you. It truly fills my heart! 

That’s why I’m holding a 22 Days of Gratitude Sale for the month of November. 

Over the next few weeks, I will be offering sales up to 75% off on my Oracle Cards, apps, guided meditations, courses, and store merchandise! During this sale, we’re also giving a portion of each of our sales to the Humane Society. 

If you’re looking for a great holiday gift or you want to treat yourself to something special, you can get all of the details here.

What are you grateful for? 

I’d love to hear from you! What are you most grateful for right now? Share with me in the comments.