Keys to Gratitude: Awakening Through Daily Practice

Did you know science shows that gratitude is the single most important trait for happiness? When we are grateful an energy surrounds us that gives our lives passion, excitement, and contentment. So come along with me as we explore some real and effective ideas to create a daily practice that will connect us to our natural, pure state of happiness using a few simple keys to gratitude.

Keys to Gratitude-Awakening Through Daily Practice

Before getting right into the nit and grit: let’s look through the eyes of a child for a moment. I always chuckle inside at the sight of a small child’s facial expressions, body language, and sometimes words when they’re told to say thank you.

But why do I have to say thank you? As if it’s a word from another planet. Doesn’t get anymore raw and honest than that. Why do you think that is? Well, here’s what I think…

True, the response can stem from not wanting to do the thing simply because mom or dad said so, or possibly the embarrassment of being called out in front of others on their manners, but maybe – just maybe, it stems from something a little deeper than that. Stay with me for a moment.

Could it be that a child’s mind in its uncluttered state lives by the law of the universe: Ask and it is given? Could it be that simple? When we think about how children naturally approach life with gratitude –  it’s felt when they play, discover a cool bug, roll around in the grass, dip their toes in the ocean – for a child gratitude is constantly in motion. They’re lovin’ life to the fullest, they feel it unconditionally.

Could it be that for a child there are no feelings connecting the words thank you to gratitude itself? The connection hasn’t been rationalized in the mind, it just simply is. They are present in that moment. They are worthy to receive because they are grateful deep within. That’s the natural state, as it’s meant to be, no words attached.

Gratitude is Our True Nature

Keys to Gratitude: Awakening Through Daily Practice-Flower

Is it possible that this could be the pure unadulterated bliss of gratitude itself? I’m thinking these little beings are on to something here. They’re holding out on us adults. They know something we don’t. Of course not really.

I’m only trying to make the point that from the day we’re born gratitude is a flower that blooms within us simply because it is its true nature. The layers of societal conditioning have not yet skewed it.

Little by little as the layers of societal conditions build up, instead of trusting our intuition, we start to question it and begin placing limits and conditions on our gratitude until suddenly our gratitude becomes stripped away of its once naturally blooming state.

Awakening Through Daily Gratitude Practice

This life itself is a blessing. Being, itself is enough cause to feel grateful, and then to be able to experience the beauty of human consciousness is one of the greatest blessings we have received. Here are some ideas that will enable us get in touch with our deepest sense of gratitude.

Greet the Morning With Gratitude

Begin by waking up every morning and before even getting out of bed, try to feel deep gratitude for just being, you have awoken with the opportunity to experience a brand new day of this wonderful existence – that in itself is a blessing!

Give Thanks

Ever noticed how many times we say thank you in a day? Quite a lot. It’s a statement that, without any intention, can be over used and taken for granted if we’re not careful. Next time you say thanks I challenge you to actively pay attention to what you’re saying it for. Is it an autopilot pleasantry, so to speak?

Try to stop and really relish in the moment so that you can gain some deeper clarity on what you’re saying thank you for. Be present and allow it to really mean something.

Practice Gratitude Affirmations

According to the Chopra Center for Wellbeing daily affirmations help to keep small things in perspective, help us to stay positive, promote a healthier heart, keep us focused, and keep us in a constant state of gratitude.

Try this simple exercise and read these affirmations to yourself or out loud as they come on the screen. Notice how you feel afterwards. Eventually you may desire to create your own affirmations by making a list of things you are personally grateful for.

Keep a Gratitude Journal

Write down things from your day that make you feel good. From things as simple as your morning tea, a hug from your child, a beautiful sunset, to major things like a job promotion, or a life lesson learned. It can be one thing, three things, or many things. It will vary each day so it’s not about how many things you write, or even if you write every day, once a week may work for you.

Focus more on elaborating on the feelings attached to the thing so that you practice building consciousness around being grateful.

Connect With a Spiritual Practice

Whether it’s connecting with God, the Great Spirit, the Universe, Mother Nature, etc. spirituality and faith are key ingredients for humility, which in turn makes us realize we are not the center or source of the universe, which in turn gives us gratitude for something much bigger than us and the human ego. Connecting with a spiritual practice keeps us in touch with the many things we have to be grateful for.

Invest in Experiences Over Possessions

Obviously the idea is not to stop being grateful for our possessions. It’s just to stress that possessions come and go. One can be void of possessions yet be rich in life experiences that last a lifetime. Research shows that people who invest in experiences rather than possessions are happier.

Volunteer and Give Back

Among those who have more than enough, the quality of gratitude can be seen in the way that they freely give to others for the purpose of creating life enriching experiences for them, in turn investing in and enriching their own experiences. It’s important to keep the vibrational frequency of gratitude alive.

Write a Gratitude Letter

This is a great way to express how grateful you are for the people in your life. You can even share and read it aloud to the individual. Bring some tissues just in case. Now this one may be a bit uncomfortable for some, but don’t forget to write to a letter to yourself.

After all gratitude is a reflection of who you are inside, so being grateful for who you are first, will allow you to be even more grateful for others. One of the best ways to live life as your true self is to practice gratitude.

Rest Peacefully Feeling Grateful

Keys to Gratitude: Awakening Through Daily Practice-Being

Prepare for bed by slowly beginning to allow your mind to sink into grateful thoughts, letting go of all judgement. Go to sleep each night with a deep sense of gratitude for just being.

Feel it down to the core of your whole mind and body.

Attract More Gratitude Into Your Life

When we practice feeling grateful for small things our whole sensitivity will increase. When sensitivity happens every moment will pass in deep awe of the happenings in existence.

As with any practice, it is important that it resonates with you as an individual, so have fun catering these ideas in ways that work for you. As always, I am grateful for all of you awesome readers and love to hear your comments and experiences.

18 Comments

  1. Travis

    Absolutely! I have noticed when I am grateful for things I feel a sort of peace. Not sure how to explain it.

    Every time my family and I sit down to eat a meal we give thanks to GOD for everything he has provided for us and we feel…at peace.

    When someone stops what they are doing to help it is sort of peaceful.

    1. Jess

      Couldn’t agree more, Travis! Thank you for your comment and may you continue to experience the peace that your gratitude offers you :)

  2. Lynn

    I like your idea about writing a gratitude letter. You talk about how grateful a young child is but I think you are also grateful when you are at college. College is where you can be free and expressive. We need to know how to relax.

    1. Jess

      Nice point, Lynn! Thanks for sharing your perspective about college. It makes sense being that it is a time of many new experiences and opportunities that can really help one to gain perspective. It makes me happy that you like the key of the gratitude letter, I hope you will try writing them. Best wishes and I hope you enjoy your experience :)

  3. Peter

    I love the insight that your article provides. I agree that children live in a natural state of gratitude. In this state, they experience this sense of appreciation through play and discovery. As you mentioned, “for a child, gratitude is constantly in motion.” Great observation.

    1. Jess

      Thank you so much, Peter! I’m happy to hear that although I’m sharing my personal observation regarding children and their relationship with gratitude it makes sense to someone lol. Like I said, these kids are on to something big here :)

  4. AzmiJ

    Dear Jess,
    Thank you for this post, now I know that the word THANK YOU represents a moment when you are really grateful of something that just happened to you..

  5. Bruce

    Hi Jess.
    I think you have a great site and enjoyed reading about your journey and watching the Gratitude video. I never realized the importance of gratitude until fairly recently. Good luck
    Bruce

  6. Cathy

    The Law of Attractions cannot do without the Law of Gratitude. Forgive me for my limited understanding. And the Law of Gratitude works well with the Law of Attractions.

    To attract what we want in life we must have a sense of gratitude in what we already have. Only then life reciprocate by giving us abundance.

    This article is very informative with regards to how to practice gratitude. Thumbs up to you Jess for sharing this beautiful article.

    More blessings to you!

    Cathy

    1. Jess

      Well said, Cathy! I’m glad you enjoyed these keys to gratitude. You’re so right, it is only with gratitude that we can attract abundance. I hope I gave that impression in my post, sometimes these things are tricky to put down in words lol ;) Thank you for your kind words and many blessings to you :)

  7. Ana

    Nice post and well written. I specially like the child’s perspective you give. It’s so simple and yet so powerful. I personally would like to be more aware/present in my daily doings as I feel so much happy when I can feel gratefull even for the small things, as being able to witness the beauty of a tree. Thanks for your tips on improving our daily gratitude practice!

    1. Jess

      Thanks so much, Ana! I’m grateful you were able to find some takeaways here. It is indeed tricky these busy days to stop and smell the roses, so to speak, but with practice it can be done ;) Many blessings as you continue to cultivate more and more gratitude.

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