This is the perfect season to practice gratitude. While this year has been filled with many terrible things for most folks, there is always something to be grateful for. This Thanksgiving season, use some of these tips to practice gratitude for some wonderful benefits on your mental health.

Mental Health Benefits

Many people know that expressing gratitude is a good thing to do, but did you know that it can give you a mood boost, too? Expressing gratitude is a wonderful way to become more optimistic, as well as improve your relationships with yourself and your loved ones. People who practice gratitude regularly are also more likely to take time for their physical health by exercising and practicing healthy eating habits. 

Practicing Gratitude

There are many ways to practice gratitude. Some of them are simple, such as making a mental list of things you’re grateful for. Others, however, can take a little more effort, such as showing your appreciation for someone with a big, elaborate gesture. Being grateful is important for yourself as well as for your relationships. Here are some ways you can practice gratitude for yourself:

• Keep a gratitude journal (keep reading for more information!)
• Make a mental list of things you’re grateful for when you’re sitting around waiting, trying to fall asleep, or driving
• Practice self-care
• Next time you catch yourself being overly negative, list three things you’re grateful for
• Meditate or practice mindfulness (more information later in the article!)

Here is a list of ways you can show appreciation for others:

• Tell someone how much you appreciate them
• Write a friend a note of thanks
• Call your family members or friends you haven’t talked to in a while
• Volunteer for organizations you support
• Donate to causes you’re passionate about (if you have the means to!)
• Spend quality time with those you love
• Do random acts of kindness! Here is a Safe Harbor article about random acts of kindness. For more information about kindness, click here. 

This is by no means an exhaustive list. Here are some more ideas. 

Gratitude journals

Photo by Gabrielle Henderson on Unsplash

Gratitude journals are a wonderful way to make sure that you practice gratitude every day. Of course, there are many different ways to keep a gratitude journal, but the simple premise is to write down a few things you’re grateful for every day. This practice also allows you to go back and read what you were grateful for every day in the past. Once you are in the habit of practicing gratitude frequently, you’ll be able to see the benefits of it more and more in your life. Here is a list of good gratitude journals, but if you want to save money, a cheap notebook will certainly do the trick, or you can use an app on your smartphone. Some planners even have a section for gratitude every day! For more info about these journals, click here. 

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is a type of meditation where you focus on what you are thinking or feeling at the moment. Many people often practice gratitude when they are practicing mindfulness. When we are grateful, our brains become more primed to notice the good things in our lives and often focus on these things. Mindfulness teaches us to not judge the thoughts and feelings we are experiencing as good or bad. When we don’t react to these negative emotions, but we focus on the positives as count our blessings, the result can be a mood boost! For more information about mindfulness, check out this Safe Harbor article. 

Conclusion

2020 has brought many people sadness, hardships, and other issues. While addressing these issues is important to improve the quality of our lives, it’s also very important to remember that we need to count our blessings as well. This Thanksgiving season, make sure that you actively express or think about what you’re grateful for this year! Expressing your gratitude, whether you choose to do it in a big or small way is always important.

Written by Jackie, a blogger at Safe Harbor International Ministries. For more articles, visit our blog page at https://safeharborim.com/articles/.