Boost Your Gratitude at Work and Home

“If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is ‘thank you,’ it will be enough.” Meister Eckhardt

When was the last time you made note of your good fortune? It is the most economical and easily accessible way to avoid depression, especially in touch economic conditions. I feel grateful when I think of living in Canada, my supportive and long term marriage, the work I do, the welcoming places I have visited, my friends and the qualities I have had the privilege to develop. One way to list your blessings is in three categories.

I feel grateful for what I:
Have: a warm and secure home
Do: write, speak and nap
Have become: creatively expressive

Researchers, Dr. Robert Emmons and Dr. Michael McCollough, authors of The Psychology of Gratitude, discovered a number benefits in recalling our blessings. Their research included hundreds of people’s recordings. A first group kept a diary describing daily events, a second group recorded unpleasant events while a third made daily lists of gratefulness.

Daily gratitude resulted in:
• improved alertness
• increased energy
• increased exercise
• better sleep
• increased enthusiasm
• increased determination
• increased optimism
• decreased depression
• decreased distress
• more motivation to help others
• more goal achieving
• feeling more loved
• increased cycles of gratitude—one act inspired another

How to Boost Gratitude:
• Recognize you have experienced a positive benefit of your situation. Hey, no excuses here. If you are reading this you live in a privileged country that provides you the ability to access the World Wide Web.
• Acknowledge that the benefit came from outside yourself—usually from another person, organization or geography.
• Recognize that the benefit was not necessarily earned or deserved.
• Say “Thank you” often and with meaning.
• List what you “have” for which you feel grateful.
• List the relationships for which you feel grateful.
• List the experiences for which you feel grateful.
• List what you see, hear, taste, smell and touch for which you feel grateful.
• If you don’t already, use a grateful word or two before eating your daily food.
• Each night record your blessings—5 a night in a “Grateful Diary” or your regular journal.
• If you sleep with a “sweetie”, before turning the light off, express appreciation.

How to Boost Gratitude at Work
• List work activities for which you feel grateful.
• List co-workers who whom you feel grateful.
• List your strengths, qualities, skills and abilities (and those who mentored you along the way) for which you feel grateful.
• Take someone to lunch for whom you feel grateful. Perhaps write a note or letter describing what he or she says and does that you appreciate.
• Wake each morning noting your gratefulness for employment and accompanying finances.
• If you are unemployed adapt an attitude of gratitude for time to explore possibilities you never before imagined.

May your blessing be many and may you notice them!