Within my 4-weeks RADIANT SELF course we work with a different theme each week. The first week was about Gratitude, which can be seen as the foundation of the practice. I would like to share with you a little bit more about the gratitude practice, give you some simple exercises for every day life, as well as a guided meditation to practice with.

The practice of Gratitude

The practice of gratitude is a simple tool to improve our own well-being and even that of others. Practicing gratitude can be a game-changer; believed to have extensive effects, ranging from enhancing mental health to fostering stronger connections to others.

Living with a grateful heart helps you notice the little things — the beautiful latte art your barista made on your cappuccino, a stranger holding the door for you, or the sun shining through your window when you wake up in the morning.

It’s said that… Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity … it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.

So here are some simple practices for you to fill your heart with gratitude and get all the benefits from it. (See below about the benefits).

Practice 1:Acts of kindness

Show gratitude through actions…

Perform one small act of kindness for others without expecting anything in return. It could be helping a colleague with a task, offering a seat to someone in need, doing a favor for a friend, or give someone a nice compliment, that could even be to a complete stranger. Notice how you feel afterwards.

Practice 2: Journal

Before going to bed, take your notebook…

1. Reflect on challenges: Consider challenges you faced during the day and find something positive within them. This can shift your perspective.

2. Gratitude Journal: Write down 3 things you are grateful for.
   But, don’t just make a list with three things. Try to be as specific as possible and as clear as possible. This is key to fostering gratitude. “I’m grateful for my mum, who helped me out with childcare the other day, when I was not well” will be more effective than “I’m grateful for my mum.”

Practice 3 : Guided Gratitude Meditation

This meditation invites you to cultivate thankfulness by slowing down, coming into the present moment, connecting to your breath, heart and nature through a visualization.

This meditation is also a reminder that there doesn’t have to be anything special going on in order to find gratitude. Gratitude is a mindset, and attitude, or you could also so it as an energy, a vibration hat you can tune into when ever you’d like. The more you practice to tune into this energy, this vibration the easier it becomes to feel it get there and stay in this energy that will then radiate outwards.

Want to know more ?

I found lots of benefits… here are some more. Repost from https://www.betterup.com/.

Benefits of Gratitude Practice

Gratitude changes our brains

Research has found that more grateful people have more brain activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, the area associated with learning and decision-making. This brain activity persisted a month later, suggesting that gratitude has long-lasting effects.

Gratitude can overpower negative emotions

Feeling grateful boosts positive emotions like joy and compassion while encouraging us to look for and connect with what’s good in life. This helps us switch our attention from toxic emotions, such as resentment and envy.

Gratitude builds over time

A continued gratitude practice starts having long-lasting effects on mood, self-esteem, and behavior, which can snowball over time. 

Gratitude can help combat anxiety and depression

A study showed that a single thoughtful appreciation leads to an immediate 10 percent increase in happiness and a 35 percent reduction in depressive symptoms. When gratitude rituals become habits, they can help prevent anxiety and depression. 

Gratitude boosts our optimism

According to research by Dr. Robert Emmons and Dr. Michael E. McCullough, people who write a few sentences each week focusing on gratitude felt more optimistic.

It improves our health

Expressing gratitude in everyday life actually has physical health benefits. Besides reducing and countering negative emotions, practicing gratitude is linked to other healthy behaviors, such as working out. Research has also associated gratitude with more robust immune systems, balanced nervous system, fewer aches and pains, lower blood pressure, and a deeper, more restoring sleep.

It leads to stronger relationships and communities

A regular gratitude practice can support the greater good outside of ourselves. Through gratitude, we increase our capacity for forgiveness, become more likely to help others, and develop compassion for others. This can extend to friends, loved ones, coworkers, and even strangers.

Researchers at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania found that workers were 50 percent more efficient when they had managers who actively expressed gratitude.

Similar research found that receiving thanks for good performance made team members feel a strong sense of self-worth and confidence. It also led to an increase in trust and initiative to help one another.  

It can lead to positive actions 

Whether expressing thankfulness or boosting our motivation to help others, a grateful attitude has been shown to increase our likelihood of spreading the encouragement and joy it generates in us. Research suggests gratitude may also play a role in motivating individuals to engage in positive behaviors leading to self-improvement. 

This can positively affect us on two levels. First, when we have a grateful mindset, we tend to involve ourselves in other practices that improve our well-being, such as meditation, sports, and recognizing our strengths. Second, an attitude of gratitude can inspire random acts of kindness toward others.