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Benefits of Practicing Gratitude
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Practicing gratitude — meaning, being thankful and being ready to show appreciation for and to return kindness — can have a positive impact on your mental and physical health, as well as your overall well-being. By paying attention to, and expressing thanks for the good things in your life — big and small — you can gain and nurture a sense of satisfaction, contentment, fulfillment and humility.
In addition, being grateful can help build resilience, and is a means for coping with adversity. It also offers a positive way to deal with stress by giving you a way to draw your focus away from the stressor and toward positivity.
Gratitude also is associated with many physical benefits, such as a strengthened immune system, and decreased risk of depression, anxiety and substance use.
How to practice gratitude
Gratitude starts with awareness, noticing and reflecting on things you appreciate. Then, savoring it, such as being in the moment and sitting with your gratitude to fully appreciate the positive feeling it gives you.
There is no right or wrong way to practice gratitude. It comes down to doing what feels the most genuine for you. Below are some suggestions for incorporating gratitude into your life.
- Write — Start a gratitude journal or list. Figure out what format and frequency of writing works best for you — notebook, phone, etc., and then regularly jot down people, experiences and items you’re grateful for, whatever or whoever they are. Some people jot down three things a day; others do it weekly. Most importantly, find a routine that works best for you. The exercise will help train your focus to notice the positives in your life.Also, strive to find new things to add to your list each time. Maybe write down something that made you smile, a moment worth savoring, or an accomplishment. Over time, you’ll likely get in the habit of noticing experiences, moments and items to add to your gratitude list.] You also will have created a list to refer back to whenever you need a pick-me-up.
- Savor — Throughout the day, when you come across something that merits gratitude, take a moment to absorb the gratitude as it happens. Be fully present and notice the details, like the exact moment, the person, the taste, smell, colors, etc., that you’re appreciating. For example, to practice “savoring” gratitude, try mindful eating. Eat slowly and give your full attention to each bite, notice the nuances of the flavors and textures, honor all the work that went into preparing the food, and the effort it took to get from farm to table to you.
- Express — Share your gratitude with others. If someone does something kind, or you feel grateful, share it. Tell the person in the moment or send them a message. Or maybe you pay the kindness forward to someone else, or channel it into volunteering and giving back to others and your community.
Try different ways of practicing gratitude to find what feels the most genuine to you. Gratitude is all about feeling heartfelt appreciation, and you’re the only one who knows the best way to express that for yourself.
Practice as a team
You can put this into practice with your team at work and get points toward your LIVEwell account. Log in to your account and look for the featured activity called, “Moments of gratitude with your team.”
Sources:
HelpGuide. Cultivating happiness.helpguide.org/articles/mental-health/cultivating-happiness.html. Accessed June 29, 2022.
CDC. Practicing gratitude works. https://www.cdc.gov/howrightnow/gratitude/ Accessed June 29, 2022
National Alliance on Mental Illness. Cultivating an “Attitude of Gratitude.” namidanecounty.org/blog/2020/4/14/how-to-start-a-gratitude-journal.
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National Influenza Vaccination Week is a critical opportunity to remind everyone 6 months and older that there’s still time to protect themselves and their loved ones from flu this flu season by getting their annual flu vaccine if they have not already. Currently, flu activity is elevated across the country, so this week will serve to remind people that there is still time to benefit from the first and most important action in preventing flu illness and potentially serious flu complications: get a flu vaccine today.
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Squeeze 30 minutes into your daily routine to recharge with LIVEwell’s live Zoom classes!
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Lunch Time Classes
12:00 noon to 12:30 p.m.
Mid-Afternoon Stretch/Meditation Break
3:00 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
Evening Classes
5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
ACCESS CODE: LIVEWELL2022
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Visit LIVEwell.la for the full schedule and class description.
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Learn How to Prepare:
Mediterranean Christmas Crescent Ring
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
5:30 p.m. to 6:15 p.m.
A shopping list will be provided.
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Chicken Pesto Meatballs - On the LIVEwell.la Community Feed!
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Make this short recipe packed with flavor: Chicken Pesto Meatballs recipe. These tender, pesto-stuffed meatballs are out of this world!
Head over to the LIVEwell.la community feed for the full recipe.
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Recipe by Taste of Home |
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Employee Benefits Division Personnel Department
200 N. Spring St., Room 867
Los Angeles, CA 90012
LIVEwell.la (213) 978-1619
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