“The more you recognize and express gratitude for the things you have, the more you will have to express gratitude for.” Zig Ziglar
Gratitude in Action is a continuation to the 1st part of some thoughts on applying gratitude as practice in one’s life. The research and evidence for the overall health and performance benefits of gratitude are growing as data and studies come online. The question often arises in our minds- what to do with this newfound knowledge- how do we implement and take action? This often is where we all fall short (myself included). Whether a diet, a productivity plan, or a skill we are interested in acquiring, it is the practice and implementation of this desired new habit where we often stumble.
My friend and coach Craig Ballantyne has a saying “Action beats Anxiety”- taking action on Gratitude daily will be the key to unlocking the benefits. Another factor that enhances gratitude is the depth of the awareness and the vivid specificity of your description. Being grateful for the sunrise is one thing, but gratitude for the purple hue along the horizon alongside the ridgeline by my house during the fifteen minutes before sunrise, and the way the light frames the lodgepole pines resonates much deeper into our neurons.
The practice of reflective gratitude is well-established and more widespread in its contemporary understanding. The focus of this practice is on the awareness of events, sensations, and thoughts happening around you that you bring your focus to in acknowledgment and gratitude. This can take the form of:
Gratitude journaling - involves taking 5-10 minutes daily to write a list of 3-5 things you are grateful for. Writing in your voice with as much detail and clarity as possible
Three good things - A variation of the gratitude journal is writing down three good things that happened each day and why they happened. A beautiful, simple journal for these two practices also recommended by Tim Ferris is Intelligent change/5 minute journal at Amazon
Gratitude meditation - There are many guided meditations focused specifically on cultivating gratitude by meditating on the things you are grateful for. Doing these even a few minutes a day can foster gratitude. (research has shown even 1-2 minutes of this has significant benefits)
Gratitude prayer - Similar to meditation, prayer focused on giving thanks, especially in the context of one’s relation to the divine and to the surrounding world will bring similar overall benefits.
Bedros Keuilian a successful immigrant entrepreneur has a daily generative gratitude practice of sending three messages a day expressing gratitude to others, work, family, and friends. His gratitude practice informed my rebrand to bring attention to this specific type of Generative Gratitude which brings positive effects to both the giver and receiver. (I hope that neuroscientists, as well as research Positive Psychologists, pick this up and begin studying the dual effects of this specific type of gratitude)
Expressing gratitude to others is ideally accomplished personally through direct expression or indirectly via a medium. Here are just a few examples:
Direct-
Gratitude letter - Writing a letter expressing thanks to someone who has had a positive impact on you, and delivering it to them in person if possible, has been shown to significantly increase happiness for up to a month.
Gratitude visit - Sit down with a friend or family member and take turns sharing three things you are grateful for that the other person has brought to your life.
Gratitude texts, voice notes, or video messages- simple, short, and easy to schedule- are a great way to start simply and experience the immediate effects of the practice. (It appears through the data that seeing and hearing one had a deeper and longer lasting effect for both parties, this might indicate that in- person, followed by live/recorded video and then ending with detailed written in order of magnitude of effect)
Indirect-
Gratitude in person shout-out - can be delivered in an in person meeting or on a call, where you specifically acknowledge someone's efforts, compassion, attention
Leave positive comments or reviews for specific employees/encounters
Gratitude Attention Media Tag/Shout-out: I struggled with whether to include this, but in order to avoid alienating all of my younger audience, I do think that a public display of specific gratitude broadcast out on different attention media platforms is an effective form of generative gratitude. (I specifically call all social media “attention media” since the business has nothing to do with pro-social behavior rather it packages and sells attention.)
Accountability/Action- It is not important when/how you implement; it is the doing. Incorporate it simply and gently into your schedule, when you are having your coffee, maybe post-workout when you are catching your breath. It can be part of an evening shutdown ritual (ala Cal Newport) or worked into an evening or mealtime prayer or meditation practice. In your workplace, it can be part of a daily or weekly stand-up meeting or a component of your weekly email to your teammates. If you create content, incorporate some positive shout-outs to those in your life.
I am grateful to all of you for your time and attention as you join me on the beginnings of my artistic writing journey to synthesize information for the benefit of all. I would love any feedback, ideas for other pieces, or any questions any of you have as we traverse the ever evolving world together.
“The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude. ”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
Additional Sources
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