We’re well into the holiday season and, depending on your relationship with family and past experiences, this may be a time filled with excitement or dread. No matter how you’re feeling about celebrating the holidays this year, implementing a daily gratitude practice can help you to find joy and minimize stress this holiday season. In this article, we’ll explore the value of a daily gratitude practice and tips for getting the most out of implementing your own.
Why Implement a Daily Gratitude Practice?
It can be easy to get caught up in the day-to-day craziness of the holiday season. At the end of each day, you may find yourself more focused on the argument you got into with your aunt, leaving you feeling deflated rather than excited.
By implementing a daily gratitude practice, you not only appreciate the positive parts of the holiday more, but you also shift your mindset to find more joy in your days.
When Should I Practice Gratitude?
When you choose to practice is all about your personal preference and schedule. Practicing gratitude in the morning is a great way to start your day on the right foot and get your mindset in a positive space. Meanwhile, practicing in the evening is an effective way to reflect on your day and remember the great things that happened.
Additionally, you may consider stepping away in the middle of the day for a short break alone to practice gratitude. This can be a great way to calm yourself down and recenter when things start to get a little stressful. You can experiment with conducting your gratitude practice at different times during the day to determine what works best for you.
How Can I Implement a Daily Gratitude Practice?
There are a few different ways you can practice gratitude. It’s a good idea to try a few different ones out to see what works best for you and your schedule. You may find that using digital tools helps throughout the day, while you prefer to settle in with your journal at the end of the day.
Go Digital
You can set a reminder or alarm on your phone for when you want to take a moment to reflect, then use your notes app to write down what you’re feeling thankful for that day. You can also use Google Docs or Evernote to create a daily gratitude template that you can fill out each day. Questions could include:
- What are you grateful for today?
- What challenges did you face today and how did you overcome them?
- What made you feel hopeful today?
- What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
If you prefer, you can also add images from your day. This is a nice way to enhance entries and help you remember moments you’re especially grateful for.
Go Physical
If you’re more of a pen and paper person, you can use a journal to practice gratitude each day. This can be a little more difficult when you’re traveling but remember you don’t have to always use the same journal every day and can instead take notes where it’s most convenient for you.
You can either write down everything you’re grateful for at the moment or think through and answer the same questions mentioned above.
Enjoy Your Holiday Season
Practicing gratitude every day is a great way to find more joy this holiday season and help yourself remember the positive memories you create with loved ones. It’s a good idea to explore different gratitude formats and schedules to find what helps you find the most positive mindset.
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