How to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

Are you tired of feeling stressed and negative all the time? Or maybe you are looking for ways to bring more joy into your life? Then practising gratitude may just help.

At Epoch, we know how important it is to reduce stress and tension in the body, and expressing gratitude is a powerful tool to do just that. The human mind is extraordinary, and we have hard wiring in our brains which focuses our minds on problems and dangers. This is excellent for keeping us safe, however, it can steer us to have a negative outlook on life if we are not careful. By focusing on the good things in our lives and being thankful for what we have through gratitude, we can shift our perspective and improve our well-being.

Research has shown that practising gratitude can reduce resentment and envy, improve relationships, and increase motivation and satisfaction in the workplace (1). And the best part? It doesn’t require a big overhaul of your life – just a little intention.

Here are 3 suggestions to help you cultivate gratitude:

• Think of 3 things you are grateful for upon first waking: 
  It can be easy to wake up and think “gosh I’m tired”, or “I don’t want to go to work today”, which can set your day off on the wrong foot. Instead, how about thinking of 3 things you are grateful for? It could be the bed you are in, the roof over your head, or the fact you are catching up with a friend that day. It will take practice as those initial thoughts will still come into your mind, but keep persevering, as it will get easier!
• Write it down: 
  Gratitude journals can be helpful as they allow you to write down your thoughts and process them. If you prefer to write things down, allocate a few minutes each day to do this.
• Show your appreciation to another: 
  It could be simply saying thank you to a shop attendant who served you, sharing a positive review online about the service you received from a company, or picking up the phone to thank a loved one for helping you. Not only will you make someone else’s day, but it will also make yours.

So why not give it a try? Consistently incorporating gratitude into your daily routine may help to bring more joy and positivity into your life and support your chiropractic journey in the process!

I look forward to hearing how you get on!

With love,
Sarah

References:

1. Wong, YJ., Owen, J., Gabana, NT., Brown, JW., McInnis, S., Toth, P., Gilman, L. (2018). Does gratitude writing improve the mental health of psychotherapy clients? Evidence from a randomized controlled trial. Psychotherapy Research. Mar 28 (2):192-202