(A) INTRODUCTION OF GRATITUDE EXERCISE
Everyone you see today is facing some mental or physical problem. Despite having control over everythingтАФincluding wealthy and powerful positions, there is still a feeling of emptiness. Now, the question of whether anything can give our physical and mental problems the proper direction. Thus, the response is affirmativeтАФour ancient cultures and yogic traditions have undoubtedly solved this puzzle thousands of years ago. Its proof is concealed in the world’s advanced civilizations, such as the Indian Ayurvedic traditions, the Unani medical system, etc. Every day, discoveries provide an abundance of data to support this as well.
Even while we are powerless to change immediately the pattern of our lives, we may adopt practices that will support us as we realize our dreams and create a safe future.
The concept of a gratitude exercise involves intentionally focusing on and appreciating the positive aspects of one’s life. It is a deliberate practice where individuals cultivate a sense of gratitude by reflecting on the things, experiences, or relationships they are thankful for.
(B) Connection Between Gratitude and Health:-
This exercise often takes the form of maintaining a gratitude journal, expressing thanks to others, or simply taking a moment each day to consciously acknowledge and appreciate the blessings in one’s life. By incorporating gratitude exercises into daily routines, individuals can experience a positive shift in their mindset, fostering emotional well-being, and contributing to overall mental as well as physical health. According to Dr. Anne-Katherin Eiselt from Teladoc Health, a behavioral scientist and neuroscientist based in Washington, D.C, there is scientific evidence connecting gratitude with lower tensions, a slower heart rate, and better emotional control. The doctor added that gratitude practice can also reduce activity in brain regions linked to stress, fear, and negative emotions
Specific brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex, linked to handling emotions, problem-solving, and a sense of connectivity, are activated when someone expresses appreciation. Regular thankfulness exercise assists in developing a stronger mentality and develops the neurological pathways linked to mental health and a happy mood, just like exercise strengthens muscles.
Our body and mind work together, affecting and being influenced by one another. The body goes into “fight or flight” mode when we entertain negative ideas because they might cause the production of stress chemicals like cortisol and adrenaline. Our bodies are profoundly affected by this stress reaction, which over time may be a contributing factor to obesity and chronic illnesses.
(C) Understanding the Gratitude Exercise
Being grateful is a lifelong process. It’s a change of viewpoint. It also becomes an essential component of our behavior as we incorporate it into our daily lives. Changing our thoughts as well as our actions is the key to improving our mindset and way of life.
Gratitude or a sense of blessing rectifies the foundations of our existence and bestows upon us an entirely new experience. It has the full potential to dramatically alter the course of our lives if we can figure out a way to put it into practice.
There are several ways we might express our thanks to the cosmos, a higher power, and other people in addition to ourselves. Still, it can be difficult to get beginning without some useful suggestions. Some of the most well-known and effective methods for nurturing and improving thankfulness are gratitude exercises and activities.
(D) How to Incorporate Gratitude Exercises Into Your Routine
The majority of people think it’s difficult to live a grateful life, but anything is achievable if we put in the necessary and valuable efforts. If we choose to alter who we are for every circumstance, then nothing is impossible. And there is a significant hope for change something if you are still reading this article. Now let’s move forward with finishing the gratitude exercise step by step.
1.Writing down a Note:-
Put down in writing the things that make you happy or grateful. That is crucial to your contentment. as it provides you with a cause for happiness. Write it, please, whether you do so once a week or every day. Just watch out that it doesn’t get monotonous or dull.
In addition to the positive effects of gratitude exercise, this technique can improve your sleep, lessen illness symptoms, and make you happier.
Before you start writing, picture your life without the people or things that are important to you. Your level of gratitude as a result should rise.
We must write down those precious moments, which have given us a reason to live. Remembering that we are filled with positive energy. We must record those moments on pages that remind us every moment that this life is precious. Like the last time, we laughed heartily. Had encouraged a friend living far away by saying a few words of praise. The best aspect of ourselves should be quoted in the pages. We should also thank you for the food we got today. The best gifts given in life should be captured in pages. Similarly, by writing down many precious moments of life that blessed us and made us feel grateful, we should record them in golden pages. The above could be done with the help of a gratitude exercise.
2. Self-Appreciation
Gratitude means feeling overwhelmed with whatever we have received. That means whatever we have, we have got it for free through someone. As if we hadn’t done anything yet we got a valuable human life. Someone must be thanked for this. Breathing every moment, seeing the unique world through these eyes, etc. are such precious gifts received from God that inspire us to be grateful. This method of gratitude exercise paves the way to explore inner quality by appreciating oneself. Here are some gratitude exercise prompts-
What qualities of yourself are your favorites?
Write about an instance where you stepped outside of your comfort zone.
Give thanks for the trip you are on and for yourself.
What do you always look forward to doing?
Which life value is the strongest for you?
Which aspect of your life would you not exchange for anything?
What is something you had to do but still were able to complete?
In what ways have you helped others throughout your life? When was the last time you assisted someone in need?
What actions have you taken throughout the years to improve upon your current version of yourself?
3. Gratitude Jar
Make yourself a beautiful jar and decorate it beautifully. Throughout the day, consider three things for which you are thankful. It might be anything as simple as having coffee at your preferred spot or something more serious like your significant other’s or close friend’s love. Write down your blessings on little slips of paper and place them in the jar. Do this every day.
You’ll discover that you have a jar full of numerous reasons to be grateful for what you have and to love the life you are living as time goes on. Additionally, it will foster the habit of saying “thank you.”
Take some notes out of the jar and use them as a fast pick-me-up when you’re feeling particularly low and need to remind yourself of the positive people and things in your life. Doing this gratitude exercise regularly makes a consistent habit that revolutionizes your whole life.
4. Atomic Gratitude
We always have some demand for something or the other and this habit has kept us so immersed in the web of demand that we do not pay attention to the subtle events happening around us, small things that are useful in our lives, emotions of people, small happiness. Remain unaware of the possibilities. We are just full of ourselves. We are not able to see that there is someone or something else that is helping us.
If you look around carefully and with awareness, the world will appear different. You will feel grateful. A feeling of blessedness will arise within you.
This gratitude exercise is called Atomic Gratitude. Using the simplest possible exampleтАФa bedroomтАФlet’s count how this space might inspire thankfulness.
Even while a bedroom may not seem remarkable on its own, its value becomes clear when we examine each of its parts.
such as the memories captured in photos, the safety of the door, the stability of the floor, and the comfort of the mattress on the bed, among many other things. we can find lots of ways to express gratefulness to others.
5. Meditation
Meditation in itself is the greatest practice in the world. It is capable of improving your life in every direction. If you perform meditation in any way, this will enhance your gratitude level. you never need to perform separately gratitude exercise. When you adopt it in your life, it starts bringing out all the positive aspects in you. Meditation is a method that works to increase the love, patience, gratitude, empathy, peace, etc. lying dormant within you. Gratitude exercise is another name for increasing the depth of meditation.
For thousands of years, people have practiced various forms of meditation to improve humankind. When applied with a strong mind, certain meditation techniques can completely transform every aspect of your life. We’ve covered a few of these significant and simple meditation techniques in brief.
5.1 Vipassana:-
This is a very easy and famous meditation technique used by most people to change their life patterns but most of them do not know about its result. This will not only awaken feelings of gratitude, love, and compassion in you but will also reflect your inner nature. In this process, we have to focus on our breath. intaking and out-breath is fundamental to this method.
first, we have to choose a yogic mudra (position); and sit on a flat surface standing with our spinal cord straight. In this position, we feel ourselves very calm and peaceful. and focus on our natural breath. we must remember we should not make any effort to conduct this meditation.
When we keep watching (following every breath consciously) our breathing, our attention will wander here and there again and again. Some thoughts will start running in the mind. Which will make us directionless. We have to bring our attention back to our breathing. Our attention will remain on the breath for a few seconds and then it will get lost in some thought. This will happen again and again, but every time we have to bring our attention to the breath. After 30 minutes of effort, a stage comes when our attention will start stopping on the breath for a few seconds. After doing this continuously for a few days, these few seconds will turn into minutes and our life will be filled with happiness and gratitude. ultimately you can’t believe the result of this gratitude exercise.
5.2 Gratitude looking at the rising sun:-
Rise at five in the morning and spend thirty minutes singing, humming, and sighing. These sounds should be existential rather than meaningful; they don’t need to mean anything. That’s what they signify; enjoy them, that’s all. Leap for happiness. Allow it to become a tribute to the rising sun, ending only at its rising.
This will keep the rhythm going throughout the day. You’ll sense a rhythm early in the day and realize that everything has altered, including your personality: you’ve become more kind, caring, responsible, and friendly, and you’ve become less aggressive, irrational, ambitious, and arrogant. I assure you that this gratitude exercise bloom your inner quality.
6. Feel Thankful for what you got :-
Have you ever considered the fact that God gave you five senses so you could see and comprehend this amazing universe and that you did not have to pay for this in this life? Many people are without arms, legs, or eyes; you guessed it. It had to have been given by someone. Have you shown gratitude to that person?
If we think about it deeply, we will understand the meaning of this precious life of ours. Keep practicing keeping in mind the small things happening in life and filling them with gratitude towards that infinite power. Sometimes you are grateful for the rising sun, and sometimes you feel a tingling sensation in your feet after seeing the dew drops falling on the rose petals. Sometimes one gets excited like a child after hearing the call of a cuckoo and sometimes one gets thrilled by the touch of a cool breeze. If you look, you will find thousands of excuses every day.
This gratitude exercise will change an important aspect of your life. You will never be the same again as you were before. Blessings will rain in your life. There will come a time when you will no longer need gratitude exercises and it will become a part of your life.
7. gratitude walking:-
Consider doing a gratitude walk to help clear your head during an especially difficult time. Walking with a focus on thankfulness can provide the same benefits as combining meditation and this gratitude exercise to reduce stress and promote emotions of wellness.
Its health benefits include reduced blood pressure, improved circulation and heart health, less fatigue, and an increased level of endorphins, which reduce stress. You will undoubtedly cultivate a positive body and mind if you combine gratitude exercise with an attitude of gratitude.
Taking note of what you notice as you walk is the aim of the gratitude walk. Observe everything. Pay attention to the surrounding environment, the shades of the trees, the sounds of the birds, and the scents of the vegetation. As you put your feet on the ground, pay attention to how they feel.
8. Gratitude Notes/Mails/Visit:-
This gratitude exercise has been changing our relationship drastically by applying it in our lives.
This may be the most effective gratitude exercise. Give a handwritten note to someone you are appreciative of in your life.
Give details. List all the amazing things this person has done for you and how they have improved your life personally.
If you want to feel happier and more grateful, write letters to the positive role models in your life on intentionally.
It would be highly recommended that you attempt this practice if you are experiencing feelings of depression or hopelessness. Hand deliver your letter to the recipients to experience an even greater sense of excitement and observe their responses firsthand. This gratitude exercise is magic in itself.
Consider an individual who has benefited you recently and for whom you have yet to show your appreciation. This individual could be a mentor, teacher, friend, relative, or coworker.
Whenever you get a chance, do not miss expressing your heart to your loved ones for whom you feel grateful. This will work like a tonic for you. You will be shocked to see its results. You can easily get this benefit of gratitude exercise by writing emails or letters to your lovers and relatives.
9. Gratitude Stone:-
This is a very simple gratitude exercise. First, you have to choose a lucrative stone from a place where you feel calm or in a holy place. This stone should be smooth and nice. You can paint it to give it an extra touch.
Now, place this stone on your nightstand, wear it around your neck on a chain, or carry it in your pocket or handbag.
Every time you see it or hold it in your hands, stop for a moment and consider what you have to be thankful for.
conclusion:-
In conclusion, embracing a gratitude exercise proves to be an invaluable tool in fostering a positive mindset and enhancing overall well-being. Through the intentional practice of acknowledging and appreciating the blessings in our lives, we pave the way for a transformative journey toward increased happiness and resilience. By consistently engaging in gratitude exercises, we cultivate a heightened awareness of the present moment, allowing us to find joy in even the smallest aspects of life. As we navigate the complexities of daily existence, the simple act of expressing gratitude becomes a powerful catalyst for personal growth, fortifying our mental and emotional resilience. In essence, the gratitude exercise serves as a gateway to a more fulfilling and enriched life, highlighting the profound impact that a grateful perspective can have on our overall happiness and satisfaction.
