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Practicing Gratitude for the Holidays

Gratitude improves your mental and physical health, increasing mood, reducing stress, and even lowering blood pressure and improving immune function. While you may think that you are appreciative of life’s pleasures, it can be most beneficial to create a gratitude practice. With the ritual of practice, gratitude becomes something you do, even on the hard days when it feels there is little to be thankful for. The holidays are a great time to start a gratitude practice, as we often get caught up in the materialistic aspect and forget the meaning behind the holiday.

Here are some ideas for beginning a gratitude practice:

  • Start a Gratitude Journal. Begin a daily practice of writing down 3 things for which you are grateful. It can be nice to end your day that way. Try not to repeat the items. Doing this daily for two weeks or longer has been shown to result in improved overall well-being.

  • Write Thank You Notes. Send little notes to friends, family, neighbors, etc. thanking them for their presence in your life or for ways they have helped and supported you through the year. You can combine this with your holiday cards, if you choose to send those.

  • Write a Gratitude Letter. This letter can be written to a significant person who made a positive difference in your life. Write it directly to the recipient. Don’t worry about perfect grammar or spelling. Describe in specific terms what the person did and why you’re grateful. (Be as concrete as possible.) Describe what you’re doing now and how you remember his/her/their efforts. Keep the letter to one page (approx. 300 words).

  • Use Prayer and/or Meditation to Express Gratitude. If you are religious, prayer can be a great way to cultivate gratitude. Meditation can also help you be in this moment and connect with your gratitude. You can focus on the word “grateful,” or visualize the face of a person for whom you are grateful.

  • If it feels there’s no time to begin any of these practices, start mentally noting each time you experience a positive event, helpful support, or notice something in nature that brings you happiness. Connect to the gratitude of the moment.

At the Elevated Health offices, we are exchanging letters of gratitude, rather than gifts this year! We are grateful for each of you and appreciate the trust you place in us as your healthcare team!