Harvard Health states, “In positive psychology research, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness. Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.” When caught up in the moments of life, it can seem nearly impossible to feel gratitude. But when we take the time to reflect, we will often find there is much in life we are blessed with. How does gratitude make us so much happier? It changes our perspective, taking us out of our little bubble and allowing us to see the bigger picture.
With this new knowledge, how can one make it a real part of their life each and every day? By trying, each and every day. It’s time for you to participate in a gratitude challenge! There are many ways of doing this, and it is important to find the one right for you.
Reflect before and after
Here are some ways to do a gratitude challenge:
- Write what you are grateful for for 10 minutes every day for 10 days
- Purchase a journal with gratitude prompts and fill it out as directed
- Set a goal to speak out loud something you are grateful for every day to someone else
- Draw a picture of what you are grateful for as soon as it pops in your head
- Write one thing you are grateful for when you wake up every day for 30 days
There are many other ways you can foster an attitude of gratitude in your life, so find the way that works best for you! Thomas S. Monson stated, “To express gratitude is gracious and honorable, to enact gratitude is generous and noble, but to live with gratitude ever in our hearts is to touch heaven.” Practice gratitude, and learn to touch heaven each and every day.
-Written by Hannah Judd
