Practice gratitude this spring and bloom

Dear Diary,

Spring is here!

It is a lovely season of flowers blooming and warmth. A season that elevates our mood and brings a sense of peace within us.

In many cultures, religious holidays occur at the beginning of spring. In the Czech Republic, people celebrate an ancient fertility ritual. Many South Asians play Holi, a festival of colors, to mark the triumph of good over evil. Washington gawks listen to jazz while sitting on the grass.

This spring, practice gratitude for this beautiful season. A lot of us have been stuck in our houses due to the global pandemic. Many of us have spent two years of our lives indoors. We have missed enjoying listening to live music or going to picnics with friends and family. Let us bring warmth and happiness to those around us.

Expressing gratitude for everything we have is a good practice. Research at the University of California, Berkeley, found that practicing consistent gratitude gives many benefits.

People who practice gratitude:

• Have a stronger immune system
• Get better sleep
• Experience more joy and pleasure
• Experience more optimism
• Have happier moments
• Become more helpful
• Show more generosity and compassion
• Feel less lonely and isolated

Another study done on couples assessed how practicing gratitude helped them. It was found that individuals expressing gratitude felt more positive in their relationships. They were also more comfortable sharing their concerns about their relationship. In the workplace, managers who said “thank you” found that employees feel motivated to work harder.

How to cultivate gratitude

Gratitude helps us focus on what we have instead of what we lack. It helps us realize that small acts towards our loved ones or strangers can bring joy to all.

Here are some ways we all can practice gratitude in our daily lives:

• Thank you notes

  We can nurture our relations with ourselves and others by writing thank you notes or emails. This gives us an opportunity to express our enjoyment and appreciation. Send thank you notes to people around you at least once a month, and write one to yourself too!

  The theory here is that, no matter how difficult your circumstances, there is always something to be thankful for, whether it’s hugging your parents, drinking a nice cup of coffee, or just a warm sunbeam through your window.

• A gratitude journal

  Nurturing gratitude in your life is an everyday process. Writing out your good experiences and reading them later can bring a lot of peace.

• Remain empathetic

  The covid-19 pandemic has been difficult for most of us to deal with. We need a reminder that positive and negative things are happening. Many people are working their way through difficult times, and we should be kind to them.

• Meditate or Pray

  Religious people often use prayer to cultivate gratitude.

  If you are not religious, you can meditate for similar results. Mindful meditation involves focussing on our present moments without judgment.

  A lot of times, people who meditate focus on the “peace” aspect, but it can be beneficial to focus on the “gratitude” aspect as well.

What are some ways you practice gratitude? Let us know in the comments!

That’s all I have for now!

I will write to you soon.

Take care.