The Powerful Practice of Gratitude: 
A Foundation for Resilience & Happiness

As we start a new year and as I spend some time with clients working on revisiting their foundation – their core – we ask, “what do you need to stay aligned with your core or your foundation?” A daily gratitude practice is a good place to start.

“Opportunities, relationships, even money flowed my way when I learned to be grateful, no matter what happened in my life.” — Oprah Winfrey

With a daily gratitude practice you develop a strong foundation. Click To Tweet

According to the relatively new science of happiness, the secret to greater success may be more achievable than you think.

Practicing gratitude fosters better relationships, social ties and career success. It also yields greater productivity, determination and optimism. Grateful people sleep better, exercise more and have fewer symptoms of physical illness. They are also more likely to be perceived as prime candidates for promotion.

Try this…
Each day of the week, either first thing in the morning or last thing at night, write down three things for which you are grateful. Commit to this daily.

Day 1: I am grateful for………….

1.

2.

3.

Day 2: I am grateful for………….

Day 3: I am grateful for………….

Etc…

 

The Mother of Virtue

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of the virtues but the parent of all others.” — Cicero

If success is as simple as this, why aren’t more people keeping a gratitude list? There is clear evidence that even the most competitive, hard-driving executives benefit from doing so. The science of happiness provides ample proof – when you feel good, you’re more likely to be enthusiastic, generous and supportive of others.

When gratitude becomes a daily habit, you no longer require a special event to make you happy. You become more aware of the good things that happen every day, and you start to anticipate putting them on your list.

I have practiced this for years and can definitely tell the difference when I get neglect my practice, not doing it for days. I have more feelings of energy, connectedness, peacefulness and a big boost in happiness. So simple. So effective.

The key is to develop a sustainable gratitude writing practice. It’s not complicated and it doesn’t require a lot of thought. I just write down three things I am grateful for in my day.

With a daily gratitude practice you develop a strong foundation to lean on and to return to when needed. This core will influence everything in good ways.

Your turn. Go ahead and try it for a few weeks and notice how you are. I know in the coaching work I do, my clients report it’s a simple yet effective tool for enjoying life and reducing worry.

What are you grateful for today? As always, I look forward to hearing from you. You can reach me here or on LinkedIn.