18 - Gratitude

Summary

Think back to Chapter 1, when we learned how to improve our lives by planning the perfect day. We hope you're still at it! The next time you plan the ideal day, start by expressing gratitude for all the wonderful things you have in life. In his book The Upward Spiral, neuroscientist Alex Korb cites dozens of empirical studies showing that gratitude practice activates a gratitude circuit in the brain. This circuit elevates physical and mental health, boosts happiness, improves sleep, and helps one feel more connected to other people.

Gratitude practice is easy. We just write down one or two things we are grateful for each day. I like to do this in a calendar. As you look back, you see all the things you have to be grateful for in one place. As explained by yoga teacher Deborah Joya:

We lift ourselves and each other when we are grateful in the moment. A gratitude calendar can help remind you to take time to reflect on the abundance in your life. Beginning and ending every day with a gratitude list helps us move into the day and night feeling good, enhancing our experiences. Imagine how uplifting to see on your wall a whole month full of things that made you grateful!

We can choose to be grateful for everything, because even the biggest challenge has a blessing, which may be a valuable lesson. When we look through the sunglasses of gratitude, beauty and generosity show up all around, and peace and joy can be found in anything.

When I know I am going to see a challenging person or be in a difficult position, listing all the things I am grateful for about that person or situation greatly helps me be more calm, present, and gracious. Physiologically, a relaxed state of mind (which can be induced by gratitude) helps the body's nervous system shift into the parasympathetic mode, giving more energy to the normal self-healing functions of the body.