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How to Practice Gratitude this Holiday Season
Looking to practice gratitude this holiday? What could be more awesome!
Gratitude benefits us in so many ways, but one of the biggest benefits is how it improves our lives in general. Studies show that people who are grateful feel more positive about life.
When feeling sad or depressed, practicing gratitude can help you unlock internal happiness. Gratitude decreases depression and suicidal thoughts while increasing your self-esteem.
That’s easy to imagine: when you think about all the things to be grateful for, the sadness, hopelessness, and feelings of worthlessness melt away—overshadowed by the positive emotions.
And while it may seem difficult to feel grateful when sad and hopeless, it might be just what you need.
So, this holiday, let's take some time to focus on the good things and be grateful.
Question is, how?
6 ways to practice gratitude this holiday
1. Send thank you letters
Research shows that writing letters expressing gratitude increases your happiness. Just be a little more deliberate and expressive with this. More than a mere thank you, reflect deeply on what they've done and pen your appreciation exactly how you feel.
2. Show a little act of kindness
Studies show that acts of kindness not only benefit the recipient but the doer as well. You feel instantly better about yourself when you do something nice for someone. In short, acts of kindness can be the easiest way out of depression.
3. Gratitude journaling
One of the best ways to practice gratitude this holiday is to start journaling. Maintaining a gratitude journal helps shift your mindset to a more positive perspective. You see, when you reflect on and enumerate the things you're grateful for in life, the impact of the unpleasant circumstances is counterbalanced. Journaling for just a few days can help you reap the benefits. Now imagine when you make it a habit.
4. Be thankful for new beginnings
What mistakes have you made in the past? What did you attempt but failed at? The New Year is an opportunity to try again. It's a time to make new resolutions, ones you can stick to. So be thankful for the opportunity and try to make good use of it this time.
5. Give to the needy
One thing about being grateful is it spurs you to give back. By giving to the needy this holiday, you spread your feeling of gratitude to others. You give them reasons to smile, to feel loved, and to be hopeful. You can even consider volunteering if the opportunity arises in your community. Volunteering is an excellent way to practice gratitude this holiday.
6. Share your stories
Another way to practice gratitude this holiday is to share your stories. Stories of pain, triumph, and whatnot. Stories of how you survived the storms. Retelling such stories is a way to reflect and be grateful for how far you've come, but it inspires others as well. You inspire others.
So, hop on social media, share with the gratitude hashtag, and make someone's day as much as yours.
Final words
This holiday season can bring negative feelings for many, such as loneliness, grief, and depression. If you've ever experienced winter depression, you know how debilitating it can be at this time of the year.
The best thing you can do on a bad day is practice gratitude. And the best thing anyone can receive on a bad day is to be appreciated—to be seen.
So, as you practice gratitude this holiday, don't forget to touch the lives around you.
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