Cultivating Gratitude and Maintaining a Gratitude Journal is a life skill that may be a helpful coping skill.
Perspective in thinking and feeling can impact mental health in many ways. One life skill that can be helpful is maintaining an understanding of appreciation.
Research has shown that maintaining thankfulness in various areas of life, has improved mood when done on a regular basis.
Areas of appreciation may involve basic areas of life, such as shelter, food and water, as basic needs. Breath as a basic life force is also something to appreciate. Often, it should be noted that if you have breath, then that alone is something to be grateful for. As long as we have breath then we have life. Life from breath can lead to change and growth through this appreciation.
People, places and things also may be appreciated in life. One may appreciate things as big as having electricity, health or seeing the sunset or sunrise. Or they may be smaller things in life, such. as noticing a small flower or colorful leaf on a tree or a small bird in the the sky. Think of the many material things one may have and the list may become endless. It may be simply having a teacup or drink tea from or a coffee mug to drink coffee or water from.
Vital family members, teachers or mentors who have been our life and have influenced us in any way also may be thought of or written about. Thanking others specifically in life is a practice.
A journal or diary that is kept on a regular basis that is kept primarily for these gratitudes or areas of thankfulness can cultivate this life skill. One may think of three to five things that one is grateful for that day or that week and maintain these in written form either from pen to paper or electronically on a computer or phone notepad. The three to five things may be specific or not. Sometimes, sharing smile with someone or even doing something nice for someone else can also be something to remember and be grateful for. The process of writing also helps with the memory of this and the actual processing of this life skill. Also, having a written record of those special moments you may commit to the journal can make for a historical account of the many positive experiences one has.
Another method of maintaining thankfulness is to keep a visual account as well as a written memory of these grateful thoughts. Visual accounts may be photographs along with the journal. A photograph of a sunset or sunrise may capture the awe and the inspiration of the moment.
“Wake at dawn with a winged heart and give thanks for another day of loving”—Kahlil Gibran
Parveen Vohra 